The Penn State Altoona baseball team enters the 2024 season with hopes of contending for another Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference title.

After an up and down 2023 regular season, the Lions did enough to secure the sixth and final seed in last spring's AMCC Tournament. Penn State Altoona proceeded to get hot at the right time, beating Mount Aloysius College in a best-of-three series to advance to the championship rounds of the tournament. There, the team kept its momentum going when it took down Penn State Behrend and defeated Hilbert College twice to win the program's third-ever AMCC championship and clinch its second-ever NCAA Division III Tournament berth.

As the Lions prepare to open their 2024 schedule, hopes are high that the team can again make a run at winning the AMCC, while playing more consistently along the way.

"In order to repeat this season, we need to be more consistent. Last season was a roller coaster ride until finally figuring it out and playing good baseball the last third of the season," said Penn State Altoona head coach RJ Barnard, who enters his eighth season leading the program. "I anticipate the conference being the deepest it's been in some time, so we will have to show up ready to play each day. For the first time in a while, we will be the team with the target on our backs."

Last year's championship experience should be a significant factor for this season's team, as the Lions return 25 players from their 2023 roster. Barnard is hopeful that last season's achievements by the returners will help set the standard this year.

"We return a lot of players who either saw significant at-bats last year or significant innings on the mound," he said. "In years past, we have started many younger guys, and I believe that also has led to some of the slow starts we have gotten into."

Penn State Altoona scored 65 runs in six AMCC Tournament games last spring, and the effectiveness of the Lions' bats will again be key to the team's performance this year. Included in the Lions' lineup will be three players who were voted to the All-AMCC team last season: junior outfielder Tyreke Green (Altoona, PA/Altoona), junior utility player Jake Hillard (State College, PA/State College), and junior infielder Corey Chamberlain (Claysburg, PA/Claysburg-Kimmel).

Green, who was also a D3baseball.com All-Region selection, hit .400 with 51 total bases, 26 runs scored, and 23 runs batted in during an injury-shortened season that limited him to 27 games. Hillard ranked fourth in the AMCC in runs scored (44), 10th in hits (55) and walks (23), and 11th in doubles (12) and home runs (4), while Chamberlain was fourth in the conference in doubles (15), fifth in hits (63), ninth in total bases (84), and 10th in RBI (34).

Other players who will take spots in the batting order include senior outfielder Grayson McClain (Mount Union, PA/Mount Union), junior middle infielder Alex Hlivia (Pennsylvania Furnace, PA/State College), sophomore outfielders Brian Chelli (West Hartford, CT/Hall) and Zach Ingold (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin), sophomore catcher Aidan Donovan (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's), and sophomore first baseman Jonathan Rauch (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin).

McClain drew 22 walks last season, 13th-best in the conference, while scoring 25 runs and swiping five bases, and Hlivia was seventh in the AMCC in runs scored (41) and ninth in walks (24). Ingold hit .321 last season while posting a .444 slugging percentage and .466 on-base percentage. Rauch was sixth in the AMCC in RBI (44) while also being seventh in hits (59), home runs (6), and total bases (86). Chelli and Donovan combined to appear in 19 games last season and will have the opportunity for an increase in playing time this year.

"The lineup will look a lot like it did last season," said Barnard. "After Tyreke's injury, we moved Jake to the leadoff spot, and it really seemed to spark him offensively. Jake, Tyreke, Jon, and Corey should hold down the top spots in the order."

Other returners will also fill spots in the lineup down the order, while opportunities will exist for other players to make an impact and establish themselves with strong performances.

"We have a trio of left-handed hitters who will be slotted in the lineup against right-handed pitching the majority of the time, including Zach, Brian, and Grayson," Barnard explained. "Behind the plate, with the departure of Richard Carey and Tim Richard, new faces will have to step up. Aidan will be the likely starter behind the dish, while a trio of others will contend for playing time. Alex will return as a third-year starter who we will look to help turn the order. We will take the first few weeks to try and tweak the lineup and give guys opportunities to showcase themselves."

On the pitching rubber, three returners who were regulars in Penn State Altoona's starting rotation last year are expected to reprise their roles this season: senior right-hander Tristin Lockett (Lewistown, PA/Mifflin County), junior right-hander Eli Wiles (Kittanning, PA/Armstrong), and junior left-hander Sam Homan (Altoona, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle). Lockett tossed 45 innings for the Lions last year, ranking sixth in the AMCC in starts (10) and 11th in strikeouts (39). Wiles led the conference in starts (13) last spring while also being second in innings pitched (68 1/3) and eighth in strikeouts (43), and Homan was third in the AMCC in wins (7) and innings pitched (65), fourth in starts (11), eighth in earned run average (5.40), and ninth in strikeouts (40).

Three other returners are among those who are projected to see innings out of the Lions' bullpen: senior right-hander Cameron Dubbs (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra), junior left-hander Mack Meengs (State College, PA/State College), and sophomore right-hander Sean Wing (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's). Dubbs pitched 25 1/3 innings in relief last season, ranking 11th in the AMCC in appearances (14) and notching a pair of wins. Meengs was a second-team All-AMCC pick last spring, when he was second in the conference in appearances (20) and saves (5) and fifth in strikeouts (47) while working 38 1/3 innings. Wing was 15th in the conference in appearances (13) and 23rd in strikeouts (25).

"Sam, Eli, and Tristin have all seen significant innings as starters throughout the past few years. Hood College transfer Eric Seick (Mount Laurel, NJ/Camden Catholic) will be another starter on the mound for us," stated Barnard. "Sean, Mack, and Cameron are returning bullpen arms who we will rely on often. Freshmen Brycen Flinton (Denver, PA/Cocalico) and Caiden Bonsell (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone) are two first-year arms who we are looking to contribute right away."

Penn State Altoona starts its 2024 regular season on the road this Sunday, February 25, traveling to face non-conference opponent Mary Baldwin University in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.

After that, the Lions make their annual trek south to compete in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, where the team will play a total of 10 games against six different non-conference opponents from around the country on March 2-9. Penn State Altoona returns to Ivyside for its first home games of the year, hosting non-conference opponents Hobart College (Tuesday, March 19 at 2 p.m.) in a single game and Wilson College (Wednesday, March 20 at 1 p.m.) in a doubleheader.

Later that month, Penn State Altoona opens its eight-date AMCC schedule at home with a doubleheader against Wells College on Saturday, March 30 at 1 p.m.

Barnard is hopeful that the Lions can carry last season's momentum into this year's schedule to avoid an early-season slump.

"We are hoping to get off to a better start this season than in years past," he said. "We typically seem to struggle early in the season and down in Florida. I believe coming off the championship season has the guys focused and hungry to do it again. It has shown, both in the weight room and with the work ethic."