TUCSON, AZ - Although opening day is just over two months away for the Utica University baseball team, four members of the Pioneers have already been named to the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division III Players to Watch list.
Joe Battista (Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls),
Ryan Cardone (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro),
Joe Crossley (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) and
Brendan May (McGraw, NY/McGraw) were all mentioned in the 2023 National College Preview edition of the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper which listed the top NCAA Division III baseball players around the country. This edition will be available to the public on January 6, 2023.
Battista is coming off a 2022 season in which he earned D3baseball.com Third Team All-Region honors as well as All-Empire 8 Second Team honors. Last year, the designated hitter slashed .328/.409/.575 while finishing within the top 10 in the E8 with 44 hits, 35 RBI, 13 doubles, four triples and four home runs over 37 games played. He will also enter the season one hit away from becoming the 17th player in program history to reach 100 for their career.
Cardone's 2022 season brought with it success on the mound as well as at the plate when called upon. As a pitcher, Cardone earned American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Third Team All-Region honors as well as All-Empire 8 Second Team and Empire 8 All-Tournament Team honors. Over 10 games and nine starts tossing 55.1 innings, the local standout went 5-2 with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP with a near 4/1 K/BB ratio while going the distance twice.
Crossley enters the 2023 campaign after putting together a breakout junior season in 2022. A 2022 All-Empire 8 First Team selection as an outfielder and a member of the Empire 8 All-Tournament Team, Crossley excelled at the dish and in center field. He ended the season with a 352/.458/.504 line while collecting 44 hits, five doubles, four triples and two home runs with 27 RBI and 38 runs scored. Crossley flashed his leather just as well as he had 69 putouts and six assists for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
May joined the Pioneers in 2022 as a junior transfer from SUNY Cortland and lived up to expectations. The two-way player earned All-Empire 8 Second Team honors at shortstop and as a relief pitcher while also being named to the E8 All-Tournament Team. At the dish, May slashed 347/.453/.545 while totaling 42 hits with seven doubles, four triples and three home runs. He also worked 23 walks and went on to score 33 runs and drive in 30. On the bump, the flamethrower appeared 11 times in relief for 15 innings while posting a 3.00 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He also collected four saves while striking out 22 batters and holding opponents to a .161 batting average.
The Pioneers will open its season on the road on Saturday, March 4 at national-ranked William Paterson University. First pitch from Wayne, NJ is set for noon.
