Webster University Leads SLIAC Baseball Preseason Poll, Owls Forecasted Third
Webster University has been named the preseason favorite in the SLIAC baseball poll, receiving 64 points and eight first-place votes, according to league coaches. The Gorloks return three all-conference starting pitchers, including Ryan Greifelt, the reigning SLIAC Pitcher of the Year. Greifelt went 11-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 84 strikeouts last season.
Fellow first-team pitcher Carter Hunt and third-team selection Eli Rompala-Matthews will also bolster Webster’s pitching staff. Hunt posted a 10-1 record with a 2.21 ERA, while Rompala-Matthews went 5-1 with 46 strikeouts. The lineup will feature junior outfielder James Theodore, who hit .349 with 30 RBIs and 12 doubles last season, along with third-team pick Ryan Hartz, who batted .283 with six homers and 31 RBIs.
Head coach Bill Kurich has added transfers Adam Moser and Chris Lara, along with freshmen Colt Amburst, Braedan Trissell, Logan Manuello, and Matthew Lanier, to bolster the team. Spalding University was second in the poll with 55 points and one first-place vote. The Golden Eagles finished 28-14 last season and are led by returning all-conference players Cameron Rayborn and Cayden Krystofiak. Rayborn went 6-1 with a 3.83 ERA, and Krystofiak was 8-3 with 83 strikeouts and was named SLIAC Pitcher of the Year.
Missouri Western State University placed third with 49 points. The Owls finished 21-17 overall and reached the conference tournament championship. They return first-team all-conference infielder Zach Johnson, who hit .375 with eight home runs and 49 RBIs, as well as Baron Brack, a .326 hitter with 13 doubles and 33 RBIs. Other key returners include Matthew Windham, Swayze Rikard, and Connor Reilly.
Lyon College is fourth in the poll with 41 points. The Scots feature four returning all-conference players, including Eli Marcotte, Landon Swallo, Kooper McCoy, and Braden Bramlett. The team also welcomes new players such as Tyler Hahn, Connor Taylor, Brody Bailey, and Aiden Linson. Westminster College, with 38 points, rounds out the top five. The Blue Jays return seven hitters and four starting pitchers, led by Troy Romero and Beno Ballard.
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