ERIE, Pa. -- In 2009, Mercyhurst College made quite the impression in its first season as a full-time member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference after ending a 13-year affiliation with the Great Lakers Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. 

The Lakers posted one of the best seasons in program history, setting several team and individual marks.

As a team, the Lakers finished tied with the 2006 squad for the second-most victories behind only the 1997 unit that went 40-8.   They were the first Mercyhurst unit to capture the PSAC regular season title and then added the program's seventh selection to the NCAA regional tournament after finishing as the runner-up in the conference tournament.

At the NCAA Atlantic Regional, the Lakers posted the best-ever finish with a 3-2 mark, winning their first two contests before suffering a loss.   The Lakers also defeated a No.1-ranked team for the first time in program history when they defeated Lynn University on March 1 by a 10-6 count.

Individually, centerfielder Jamie Walczak set the single-season mark for hits (76) while shortstop Jonathan Keppler established a new best for walks (47). Third-baseman Ethan Santora tied the single-season homerun mark, blasting 16 roundtrippers.

On the mound, right-hander John Mang went 10-1 to set a new standard in victories while Steve Grife tallied five shutouts for his career, the best all-time.

Also, head coach Joe Spano became the program's all-time wins leader, surpassing Joe Jordano. Spano's all-time record now sits at 289-230-3 in nine seasons. 

The Lakers finished the 2009 season ranked in the top 30 of all three major polls and had three players advance to play professional baseball, including two taken in the MLB Draft. 

The success of the 2009 squad has set the standard of excellence high, but with five returning position players and two starting pitchers, Spano expects that his 2010 edition could push the program to new heights with the right blend of experience and leadership. 

Highlighting the returners are Santora, the PSAC West Freshman of the Year, and left-handed pitcher Nick Gillung, the PSAC West Pitcher of the Year. Other award-winning returning starters include second baseman/right-handed starter Adam Gray and rightfielder Craig Denman. Both were named to the All-PSAC West Second Team a year ago. 

Filling the holes left by three veterans is paramount to the Lakers success this year. A four-year starter in centerfield, Walcazak anchored the defense and provided a stable bat in the lineup in addition to his leadership qualities. Replacing two-year starter Jeff Stoll at first base is also a necessity. Stoll's quiet leadership and powerful offensive production from his cleanup spot could make or break this year's squad. 

From the mound, replacing Grife and Mang will be a daunting task. The two left Mercyhurst with their names spattered in the record books. A bright spot, Mang returns as a graduate assistant coach and will guide a youthful pitching unit. 

Outfield
With the loss of Walczak, Spano will look to senior leftfielder Trey Bennett and junior Denman to anchor the defense. Bennett (49 GS, 47 GP) will retain his position in left while Denman (54 GS, 54 GP) makes the transition from rightfield to centerfield. Bennett is one of four Laker captains for 2010 and is coming off an All-Star summer in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. Bennett is a steady performer both offensively and defensively. His .291 batting average (43-for-148) helped to turn over the lineup while errorless play in 49 chances cemented the left side. 

An All-PSAC West performer in 2009, Denman posted the fifth-best batting average (.323) among starters, collecting 61 hits in 189 trips. A consistent bat in the middle of the lineup, Denman will be relied upon for increased offensive production. 

The frontrunner for rightfield is junior Justin Urschel, a transfer from Monroe Community College. Urschel has a great arm and can cover a lot of ground with his speed. Senior Greg Turk should also see plenty of time in the outfield and could also be used at first base. Sophomore Jaasiel Rivera provides depth in the outfield. The lefty showed improvement this fall with the bat.

Infield
Three starters return in the infield to anchor the defense. The 2009 Lakers' defense was the best in the West statistically, fielding at a .958 percentage while turning 56 double plays (1st - PSAC).
Reigning PSAC West Rookie of the Year Santora returns to the hot corner for his sophomore campaign. Santora was named to the All-PSAC West First Team in addition to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-America Honorable Mention squad after tying the program's single-season home run record (16). He should bat in the middle of the Lakers lineup.

Leadoff man Keppler will start at shortstop for the second-straight season. Keppler broke the school record for walks in 2009 and had one of the highest on-base percentages in the league after recording a team-best 10 hit-by-pitches and 47 walks. 

Senior captain Gray is a four-year starter at second-base. Gray was an All-PSAC West performer last season and is also one the team's best pitchers. A versatile and flexible player for the Lakers, Gray started 47 games at second base while appearing in seven contests as a pitcher, including six starts. 

First-base is wide open after the loss of clean-up hitter Jeff Stoll. Senior captain John Blike could be a possibility on the corner after proving himself as one of the best situational hitters a year ago. Blike's offensive ability will have him in the lineup on a daily basis but whether it's at first base or from the designated hitter position remains the unknown. 

Also looking to push for playing time at first base is sophomore Dan Jergel and freshman Bill Gerstenslager. Both should provide some punch from the left side and enhance a lineup that features a majority of right-handed hitters. Jergel and Gertanslager are both are coming off solid fall seasons. Additionally, Gerstanslager was also highly recruited pitcher out of high school. 

Other players who could see action at first base include freshman Joe Cochran and transfer Kevin McCall, who is the team's best utility man. McCall should see innings at several different positions and is also a great base runner. Sophomore Kenny Walrond is another scrappy player who can roam all over the field and played a valuable role on last year's playoff team before a mid-season injury sidelined him for a majority of the beginning weeks. Sophomore Thomas Kufel had a solid fall, and is capable of filling in on the infield when needed. Freshman Forrest Boggs is a switch hitter with great power potential. He has raw skills in the field but with a strong ethic could be a big contributor in the future. 

Catchers
Senior captain Adam Schlessel is back after making 24 starts behind the dish a year ago. Schlessel will return to his starting role again with junior #D.J. Haurin as backup looking look for an increased role. Transfers Adam Brentlinger and Nico Baldelli# will also push for playing time in 2010. Both guys have strong arms and have improved in every aspect behind the plate. 

Pitching
The 2010 Lakers will look to continue a tradition of strong pitching staffs. Last season's staff was one of the best rotations at Mercyhurst, with two pitchers selected in the MLB draft.

Helping to cushion the transition will be defending PSAC West Pitcher of the Year Gillung.  As a sophomore, Gillung posted a 7-1 record and a 3.60 ERA through 65 innings pitched, holding opponents to a .257 batting average. He made 14 appearances, including 12 starts and two complete games, while going undefeated against PSAC West opponents. 

Gray and sophomore Matt Jimenez are the only other returners who made more than two starts last season. Look for both to push for weekend starts this season. 

Transfer Jordan Backes will add experience to a young staff. Backes is coming off a dominating summer in the NYCBL. He will compete to be in the weekend rotation.   Sophomores #Eric Aschley and Sam O'Neill# had a solid fall season. They look to be ready to compete for a starting role on the 2010 staff. 

Also look for freshman Ben Rawding and junior Scott Knoche to be in the mix. Rawding was the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League Pitcher of the Year while Knoche has made great strides with his command since last season. 

With Walczak departed as the closer from a year ago, the Lakers will try to establish a solid bullpen with an influx of youth and steady upperclass leadership. 

Of the remaining arms sophomore Jeremy Cressley has logged the most innings. Cressley could be a key set-up man and could also make some spot starts. Junior sidearm reliever Thurman Schaetzle has some experience in big situations. He is a great change-of-pace arm. Sophomore Joshua Graham made eight appearances last year and has a power arm that could fill the shoes left by Walczak. 

Of the remaining veteran arms, two are lefties. Junior Nick Scheetz has a strong arm and has shown steady improvement. He could play a valuable role if he matures into the hurler the coaching staff believes is possible. 

Senior Russell Gardner is the other lefty and will need to work on consistency.  The righties are junior Abe Rak and senior #T.J. Tavender#. Rak has had to reinvent himself over the last few years after a rash of injuries set him back. He made strides last season and could seesome innings this year if he remains healthy. 

Taveneder has a big upside and could be an asset if he continues to work hard. 

Cochran and Andrew Pruchinski are the new comers. Cochran is a tall right-hander with a lot of potential who comes from a great high school program, and could be a future starter. Pruchinski surprised a lot of people this fall and could contribute early on.