As Penn State Altoona baseball prepares to embark on its 24th NCAA Division III season, the Lions' 2022 roster is highlighted by plenty of youth. 27 of the team's 32 players are underclassmen with the program, including 18 student-athletes entering their first years with the Lions as either freshmen or transfers.

Despite the young roster, as well as some key losses from last season, head coach RJ Barnard is confident that his team will not miss a beat this year. The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference head coaches predicted that Penn State Altoona will finish fifth this season, based on the results of the 2022 AMCC Preseason Coaches' Poll, and Barnard hopes to meet and exceed those expectations this spring.

"We do not expect to take a step backwards at all," said Barnard, who is entering his sixth season as the program's head coach. "We did lose three of our top four hitters offensively, but there is a lot of young talent on this team, and we expect to once again be one of the stronger teams in the conference."

Helping to lead the way for the Lions this season are two sophomores who are emerging standouts in the AMCC, as well as a pair of upperclassman catchers who have put together strong careers for the Lions.

Sophomore utility player Jake Hillard (State College, PA/State College) is Penn State Altoona's top returning hitter, and he was recognized as such when AMCC coaches voted him as the 2022 Preseason Player of the Year. Hillard received several high-profile postseason honors at the conclusion of last season, including being the AMCC Newcomer of the Year and first team All-AMCC, second team D3baseball.com All-Mideast Region, and third team ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast Region. Last year, he was third in the AMCC in home runs (7), doubles, (13), total bases (73), and slugging percentage (.737), as well as sixth in runs batted in (32).

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Kyle Glass (Imler, PA/Claysburg-Kimmel), who joined Hillard as a "Player to Watch" for the Lions in the conference preseason poll, is another key returner for Penn State Altoona. Last season, he was a third team All-AMCC pick after ranking third in the conference in wins (6), fourth in complete games (3) and earned run average (2.93), eighth in appearances (10), and ninth in innings pitched (43).

Senior catcher Richard Carey (Milton, DE/Cape Henlopen) and junior catcher Timothy Richard (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone) will also provide leadership on and off of the field. Carey hit .282 last season with 24 total bases, 13 walks, 12 runs scored, and 12 RBI while compiling a .938 fielding percentage behind the plate, and Richard batted .315 with 38 total bases, 15 runs scored, and 13 RBI with a .982 fielding percentage at catcher.

"We will look for a few of our upperclassmen to be leaders," said Barnard. "Richard and Tim are four and three-year starters who are returning, and we also have some younger guys who had very successful freshman campaigns who we will turn to for leadership in the dugout."

Penn State Altoona's batting order will reflect its roster makeup this season, with some key returning hitters holding down spots in the lineup and some new players earning roles around them. Hillard is expected to anchor a spot in the middle of the lineup, with Carey, Richard, and sophomore outfielder Grayson McClain (Mount Union, PA/Mount Union) also being regulars. McClain, who projects to step back into the leadoff spot, was fourth in the AMCC last season in walks (22), as well as 14th in on-base percentage (.457) and 17th in runs scored (26).

Barnard also expects competition for spots in the lineup from several freshmen, including infielder Grant Barberich (Leesburg, VA/Heritage), third baseman Corey Chamberlain (Claysburg, PA/Claysburg-Kimmel), first baseman Fred Guarino IV (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro), first baseman/catcher Logan Margroum (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg), and shortstop Phaly Moravek (Leesburg, VA/Tuscarora).

"We have a lot of young talent, and there will be many competitions going on at multiple positions throughout the first few weeks. Once again, Grayson McClain will look to get on base often at the top of the order, and Phaly Moravek will likely start the season in the two hole," Barnard said. "Jake Hillard will be a middle-of-the-order guy, who we hope can put up similar numbers to last year's campaign, and freshmen Corey Chamberlain, Grant Barberich, Logan Margroum, and Fred Guarino will be other run producers that we rely on. Tim Richard and Richard Carey will provide the lineup with depth and will once again man the catching duties. Many other young guys will get opportunities early on and will be contributors to the team."

Penn State Altoona's pitching staff will also rely on a mix of returners and newcomers for quality innings this season.

Glass and sophomore right-handed pitcher Alex Kitko (Houtzdale, PA/Moshannon Valley) lead the group of returners on the staff. Kitko posted two wins in 27 2/3 innings of work last season and ranked eighth in the AMCC in strikeouts per game (8.46) and ninth in ERA (4.88).

Other returning arms for the Lions are senior right-hander Austin Miller (Orbisonia, PA/Southern Huntingdon), sophomore righties Cameron Dubbs (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) and Adam Wildasin (Hershey, PA/Hershey), and sophomore left-hander Sam Homan (Altoona, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle). Miller and Dubbs each made six relief appearances last spring, Wildasin pitched 20 1/3 innings in five total appearances that included four starts, and Homan made seven appearances out of the bullpen.

Freshman right-handers Chamberlain and Eli Wiles (Kittanning, PA/Armstrong), along with sophomore righty Tristin Lockett (Mifflin County, PA/Mifflin County) – a Lock Haven University transfer – are also expected to see significant innings for Penn State Altoona.

"We return all-conference pitcher Kyle Glass and a healthy Alex Kitko for the season. LHU transfer Tristin Lockett and freshmen Eli Wiles and Corey Chamberlain will get the majority of the starts," Barnard explained. "Adam Wildasin, Cameron Dubbs, Sam Homan, and Austin Miller all saw a significant amount of appearances out of the bullpen last season. Mix in a few other freshman arms that we will rely on, and we believe this is the strongest pitching staff we have had in a while."

Barnard expects the team's defense to perform well in backing up its pitchers this season.

"Although Mother Nature has not given us an opportunity to get on the field yet this season, we are confident we will play well defensively behind our pitchers," he said. "Our outfield has much more speed than in years past, we expect our infield to continue to get better with the more reps they get outside, and we have multiple catchers who can control the run game."

Penn State Altoona baseball's 2022 season gets underway on Saturday, February 19, when the Lions travel to Frederick, Md. to play non-conference opponent Hood College in a pair of seven-inning games. After that, the team travels to Florida for the first time since 2020 to resume its annual competition in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, where the Lions will play a total of 10 games against six different opponents from March 5-12.

The Lions return to Pennsylvania to face six more non-conference opponents throughout the rest of March, then will play their AMCC schedule in April to round out the regular season.

"Like always, our goal is to find ourselves in the final four at the end of the season and hope we are the hottest team at the time," said Barnard. "Our conference has had much success in the NCAA postseason the past few years, so we know every day we must bring our 'A' game."