Newburgh, N.Y. – After its originally scheduled season opening trip to Maryland was cancelled due to weather last weekend, the Mount Saint Mary College Baseball team is scheduled to open the 2019 season Saturday afternoon with a home doubleheader against Marywood. The doubleheader is scheduled for a 12:00 p.m. start at Dutchess Stadium.

At A Glance: The Knights are coming off a 2018 season that saw them post a 22-12-1 overall record and a 13-5 mark against Skyline Conference opponents. The Knights won their first round contest in the Skyline Conference tournament against Old Westbury but then lost consecutive games in the double elimination portion of the tournament

Mount Saint Mary returns 25 players from last season's team and welcomes 10 newcomers to the fold for the 2018 season. The Mount brings back three of its top five hitters from a season ago but needs to replace three pitchers who made at least eight appearances in 2018.

Pitchers: Mount Saint Mary welcomes back junior John Santana (Warwick, N.Y.), who will split time between the mound and the field, paced the Knights with 37 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched.

The Knights will lean on seniors Christian Spano (Mahopac, N.Y.) and Nick Zestanakis (Bayside, N.Y.) as well as juniors Alexander Maher (Mineola, N.Y.) and Sal Rizzo (Smithtown, N.Y.) for important innings in 2019.

Head Coach Steve Sosler will also turn to a talented crop of newcomers for innings that includes: junior two-way transfer Matt Barbieri (New Paltz, N.Y.), sophomore Robert Brust (Shirley, N.Y.), Matthew Borriello (Montgomery, N.Y.), Ryan Larkin (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) and Anthony Caminitti (Mahopac, N.Y.)

Catcher: Junior Braden Perry (Brockport, N.Y.) and sophomores Jaiden Bonet (Bronx, N.Y.) and Ryan Lutinski (Easton, Conn.) all return for the Knights in 2019 looking to replace now assistant coach Kevin Edgar's production from a season ago.

Brust and freshman Coleman Barnes (Goshen, N.Y.) will also vie for innings behind the dish.

Infield: The Knights welcome back a talented infield group highlighted by Santana who hit .317 as a sophomore and was a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts.

Junior Nick Rizzo (Smithtown, N.Y.) scored 28 runs and swiped 19 bases for the Knights in 2018. Senior Tom Huvane (Eastchester, N.Y.) had .417 on-base percentage a season ago, with sophomore Steven Mirra (Wallingford, Conn.) hitting .338 in 71 at-bats.

Three newcomers bring depth to the position group with the additions of Liam Merlin (Reading, Mass.), Devin Tait (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Barbieri.

Outfield: The Knights return Anthony Rizzo (Smithtown, N.Y.) and Jack Goodwin (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) as the two mainstays from a season ago. Rizzo is the leading returning hitter with a .333 average last season and Goodwin hit .305 in his freshman campaign.

A talented stall of newcomers brings depth to the position group with the additions of Anthony Franco (Franklin Square, N.Y.), Dominick Marzigliano (Highland Mills, N.Y.) and Michael Doxey (Highland, N.Y.) returns after missing last season due to injury.

A Look At Marywood: The Pacers also open the 2019 season on Saturday and posted a 16-18 overall record in 2018. Marywood is projected to finish seventh in the seven-team Atlantic East Conference preseason coaches poll.

What's Next: After this weekend's doubleheader, the Mount will host CCNY on Friday at 3:00 p.m. as well as Alfred State for a doubleheader on Saturday
afternoon at noon. Both contests will be played at Dutchess Stadium.