NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Westminster baseball team, under the guidance of third-year head coach Pat Riley, return 25 players from last year's team.
 
Headlining the returners is sophomore shortstop Logan Murgenovich (Aliquippa, PA / Central Valley), who was named All-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Honorable Mention last season. He tallied a batting average of .306 and an on-base percentage of .389 with 15 walks and 33 hits.
 
Seniors returning to the diamond include pitchers Logan Minch (Grove City, PA / Grove City Area), Zach Zeis (Gibsonia, PA / Pine-Richland), and Timothy Spicer (Uniontown, OH / Lake), along with outfielders Brandon Cooper (Oakdale, PA / West Allegheny), Seth Schrader (Fredonia, NY / Fredonia), and Sean Davis (Sharpsville, PA / Sharpsville). Rounding out the returning seniors are infielders Matt Costello (New Castle, PA / Union Area) and Austin Webb (Wadsworth, OH / Wadsworth) with catcher Ryan Jolin (Williamsport, PA / Williamsport Area), first baseman James Diamond (Moon Township, PA / Moon Area), and third baseman Logan Fordyce (Cuyahoga Falls, OH / Cuyahoga Falls).
 
The junior class returns pitchers Frankie Manios (Warren, OH / Howland), Hunter Stellato (Struthers, OH / Struthers), Joseph Kozlina (Cranberry Township, PA / Seneca Valley), Robert King (New Castle, PA / Union Area), and Devin Higginbottham (Austintown, OH / Austintown Fitch), along with first baseman David Gearhart (Ashland, OH / Ashland).
 
Rounding out the returners are sophomore pitchers Logan Exler (Verona, PA / Serra Catholic), Kolton Banfi (Harrisville, PA / Franklin Area), Phillip Keller (Coraopolis, PA / Montour), and Timothy Lewis (Southwest Harbor, ME / Wilmington Area), along with second-year infielders Chase Tomko (Hermitage, PA / West Middlesex Area) and Donald Shimko (Greensburg, PA / Greater Latrobe) with sophomore catcher Jake Dockum (Fairport, NY / Allendale Columbia).
 
Westminster was selected to finish tied for fifth in conference standings with 50 points, according to the league's preseason coaches' poll. Costello, Exler, Manios, Murgenovich, and Webb were named to the PAC Players to Watch List.
 
Exler and Manios, both had a team-high four wins on the mound. Webb and Costello are the returning team-leaders in runs-batted-in with 15 and 12, while Murgenovich is the returning hit-leader for the team. Webb also scored 20 runs last season, tied for the second highest on the team.
 
The Titans begin their 2022 season Friday, March 11 at Penn State DuBois in a non-conference game. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.