Baseball | 2/21/2023 7:48:00 AM
St. John Fisher will look to earn its third straight league title, as seven teams will vie for the 2023 Empire 8 Championship, as the upcoming season has started with non-conference play. Empire 8 regular season league play is set to begin March 24-26. The top four teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place from May 11-13 at the home of the top seed and regular season champion. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
Empire 8 Baseball Players to Watch
Joe Battista, Utica, Gr., DH/1B, Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls – Battista is a two-time All-Empire 8 selection (2021 first team, 2022 second team) after batting .382 with 27 doubles and 71 RBI, while recording a .589 slugging percentage over the last two seasons. He was also a 2022 D3baseball.com All-Region selection.
Noah Campanelli, St. John Fisher, Jr., INF, Pittsford, NY/McQuaid Jesuit – Campanelli, the 2022 Empire 8 Player of the Year, earned Second Team All-American honors from D3baseball.com and was an ABCA All-Region pick after hitting .405 with 63 runs scored, 15 doubles, four homers and 43 RBI. He also drew 39 walks and recorded a 1.103 OPS.
Liam Doyle, Russell Sage, So., RHP, West Sayville, NY/Connetquot – Doyle emerged as a strong starting pitcher for the Gators in their inaugural season, winning three games, while striking out 36 batters in 43 2/3 innings.
Zach Parr, Houghton, Sr., 1B/3B, Olean, NY/Olean – Parr earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades in 2022 after hitting .371 with 20 extra base hits (including three homers), 30 RBI and a 1.079 OPS.
Ean Pokorski, Medaille, Jr., OF, Amherst, NY/Sweet Home – Pokorski led the Mavericks with a .379 batting average and 33 hits last season, while stealing six bases.
Jarod Signorelli, Elmira, Sr., INF, Victor, NY/Victor – Signorelli hit .375 and had an impressive .995 OPS for the Soaring Eagles last season. An on-base machine, Signorelli reached base at a .537 clip.
Josh Tryon, Keuka, Sr., 3B, Elmira, NY/Thomas Edison – Tryon hit .325 for the Wolves with 16 RBI in 2022 and set an Empire 8 single-game record with three triples in the 2021 E8 Tournament against Elmira.
Team Capsules (Sorted by Spring 2022 Standings)
St. John Fisher
The Cardinals will look to earn their third straight Empire 8 Championship after finishing with an 18-2 record in league play last season en route to the program’s fourth conference tournament championship and berth in the NCAA tournament. The Cardinals outscored conference opponents by an average of nearly nine runs per game before racking up 64 runs in four Empire 8 playoff contests. The Cardinals return five starters that hit at least .300, including 2022 E8 Player of the Year Noah Campanelli. Campanelli earned Second Team All-American honors from D3baseball.com and was an ABCA All-Region pick after hitting .405 with 63 runs scored, 15 doubles, four homers and 43 RBI. He also drew 39 walks and recorded a 1.103 OPS. Fellow All-E8 first team position players Brian Norsen (.300, 9 HR, 55 RBI), Luke Duffy (.303, 32 RBI, 45 BB), Nick Lemire (.326, 47 RBI, 45 runs) and Ben Lavery (.314, 13 HR, 53 RBI) will also be back to lead a potent offense. Connor McHugh, the 2022 Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year, should help lead the starting rotation after finishing 7-2 with a 2.10 ERA. Fellow All-Empire 8 first team selection Ryan O’Mara finished 8-0 pitching primarily as a reliever.
Utica
Utica returns a strong nucleus from last season’s team that won 21 games and advanced to the Empire 8 Championship Series for the second straight season. Utica returns five All-Empire 8 selections from last season, include first baseman/designated hitter Joe Battista (.328, 13 2B, 4 HR, 35 RBI), Brendan May (.347, 3 HR, 30 RBI) and Joe Crossley (.352, 27 RBI, 38 R, .458 OBP). All-conference starting pitcher Ryan Cardone (5-2, 55.1 IP, 44 K, 1.2 WHIP) will lead the rotation, while May, who also earned All-E8 honors as a relief pitcher and fellow all-conference selection Jake Mangino form a strong 1-2 punch out of the bullpen. May struck out 22 batters in 15 innings and recorded four saves. The Pioneers have 33 players back and bring in a strong group of newcomers, including infielders Andrew Salbinski and Tyler Jennings and pitcher Derrike Goutremout. Fellow returners Dom Fasolo and Jason Story have excelled in various opportunities and will help shore up a deep outfield group.
Russell Sage
Russell Sage College enjoyed an excellent NCAA debut season in 2022 under head coach Nick Pontari. The Gators won 14 games, including nine in conference play and advanced to the Empire 8 Semifinals. Sophomore designated hitter Andrew Knapp returns after earning All-Empire 8 first team accolades last season. He hit a pair of home runs and drove in 26 runners. Sophomore Leandro Guzman is back to patrol the outfield after earning All-E8 second team plaudits. Guzman was a force at the top of the Gators lineup, recording a .454 on base percentage and scoring 30 runs, while driving in 24. He was also among the league leaders with 29 walks. Senior William Simkin and sophomore Liam Doyle will lead the pitching staff. The dup combined for five wins, while throwing 89 innings of work. The Gators have a strong group of newcomers who will look to push them to the next level in 2023.
Elmira
The Soaring Eagles will look to keep the momentum going after a strong 2022 season, in which they advanced to the Empire 8 Tournament and pushed eventual champion St. John Fisher to a decisive third game in the semifinal series. Elmira returns 22 players, including Brett Warden, the 2022 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and All-Empire 8 first team relief pitcher David Kruis. Warden hit .315 with 16 extra-base hits and recorded a .919 OPS. Senior outfielder Jarod Signorelli hit .375 and had an impressive .995 OPS for the Soaring Eagles last season. An on-base machine, Signorelli reached base at a .537 clip. Jordan Plaisted and Colin McLaughlin will also be counted on to lead Elmira’s offense. Kruis recorded six saves, three wins and struck out 27 batters over 28 1/3 innings of work, spanning 17 appearances. A strong group of newcomers, including pitcher Jarek Podest, catcher Connor Stone and catcher/designated hitter Francis Millone will look to step right for Elmira. The Soaring Eagles will now play all of their home games at Holding Point recreation Complex in nearby Horseheads, NY.
Keuka
The Wolves won 15 games last season and were in contention for an Empire 8 postseason berth until the final day of the campaign. Keuka will have a new look in 2023, as Jake Marinelli begins his first season as head coach. Keuka returns senior Josh Tryon (.325, 16 RBI), junior outfielder Matt Vacarro (.342, 40 hits, 17 BB) and hurler Jared Beckley (5-2, 4.67 ERA, 52.0 IP). The Wolves bring in Division I transfer Shane Helmstadt (Stony Brook) and Division II transfer Nolan Quinn (Mercyhurst), who will also be welcome additions to a team that is looking to get back to the postseason.
Houghton
The Highlanders will look to get back to the Empire 8 postseason in 2023. The Highlanders return 21 players from last season’s team, including senior corner infielder Zach Parr, an All-Empire 8 first team selection. Parr hit .371 with 20 extra base hits (including three homers), 30 RBI and a 1.079 OPS. Senior outfielder Jason Kauffeldt, a two-time All-Empire 8 selection, returns after scoring 38 runs, drawing 23 walks and recording a league-best 29 stolen bases last season. Senior pitchers Hunter Kendall and former All-E8 selection Ryan Newtown, along with junior Ethan Cetton will lead the Houghton pitching staff this season. Houghton has a host of talented newcomers looking to make an immediate impact, including pitchers Christopher Gross, Tyler Gibson and Aiden Talcott.
Medaille
Medaille makes its Empire 8 debut in 2023 under head coach Brian Kehew. The Mavericks return several players from last season’s team that competed in the Allegheny Mountain Athletic Conference. Junior outfielder Ean Pokorski is back after leading the Mavericks with a .379 batting average and 33 hits last season, while stealing six bases. In addition, senior infielder Nolan Gallagher and sophomore outfielder/first baseman Aaron Huddleston will be counted on to lead the way. Top newcomers include pitchers Alex Beaird and Nate Bova in addition to infielders Eric Arreola and Jeff Petrozzinni.
Final 2022 Empire 8 Baseball Standings
St. John Fisher (31-16, 18-2 E8) – League Champions
Utica (21-18, 12-8 E8)
Russell Sage (14-27-1, 9-11 E8)
Elmira (13-23-1, 7-12-1 E8)
Keuka (15-19-1, 7-12-1 E8)
Houghton (13-25, 6-14 E8)
^ Medaille was a member of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference in 2022
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
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