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DeHaas named to preseason team

EAST STROUDSBURG – Senior first baseman Kolby DeHaas of the Lock Haven University baseball team has been named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-Atlantic Region First Team.

Last season, DeHaas hit .403 which led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). His batting averaged ranked No. 32 in Division II baseball. DeHaas had a .522 on-base percentage, .619 slugging-percentage, 11 doubles, five home runs and 29 RBIs last year. He fielded .981 at first.

Along with the preseason all-region teams, the NCBWA also released the Preseason Atlantic Region Top-10 and the Bald Eagles were ranked No. 8 (37 points). West Chester, the defending NCAA Division II National Champions, received 13 of 14 first-place votes and was picked first. Mercyhurst was picked second and Seton Hill rounded out the top three.

EW ERA:

On January 9, 2018, longtime assistant coach Heath Stover was named Lock Haven’s interim head coach. Stover, a LHU graduate, just finished his 20th season as an assistant coach with the Bald Eagles and for the last 20 seasons he’s played a vital role in the team’s overall success, both on and off the field. For the last three seasons, Stover has worked primarily with the pitchers. Under Stover’s leadership, a trio of Bald Eagle pitchers from last season’s rotation reached the professional ranks over the summer including Jacob Belinda, who was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 10th Round of the MLB Draft.

BUILDING OFF HISTORIC 2017 SEASON:

Last season, LHU went 32-18 and the 32 wins marked a single-season school record. LHU was 16-12 in the highly competitive PSAC Eastern Division – a division that has produced the Division II national champ twice in the last six seasons and the national runner-up in 2016.

PRESEASON HONORS:

Kolby DeHaas was named a 2018 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Player to Watch and transfer Jesse Slinger has been tabbed a Newcomer to Watch. Slinger is a junior right-hand pitcher who transferred from Division I Youngstown State. In 48 1/3 innings last season, he recorded 33 strikeouts.

NATIONAL RANKING:

With the 2018 season on the horizon, the Bald Eagles also received votes in the preseason College Baseball Daily national poll.

2018 SEASON ON THE HORIZON:

Lock Haven will open the 2018 season on the road on Saturday, Feb. 10 at Chowan. In all, the Bald Eagles will play four games at Chowan on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 10-11. Last season, LHU opened the season at Chowan and split the four-game set.

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