LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Today (Jan. 29), the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) released its 2026 Preseason Coaches' Poll and the Lock Haven baseball team was selected to finish eighth in the Western Division. The Bald Eagles are set to open their season on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 21-22 in Glenville, West Virginia.
 
The Haven will open the 2026 campaign by visiting Glenville for a four-game non-conference schedule on Feb. 21 and 22. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 1 p.m., while Sunday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m.
 
In the PSAC Coaches' Preseason Poll, Slippery Rock was the overwhelming favorite with six of the eight first-place votes. Slippery Rock (2) was picked second, while Indiana (Pa.), California (Pa.) and Gannon was slated at third-through-fifth. Clarion, Pitt-Johnstown and Lock Haven rounded out the Western poll.
 
In the East, nationally-ranked East Stroudsburg was picked first with a division-high eight first-place votes. Millersville (2), West Chester, Shippensburg and Shepherd made up the rest of the top-5. Bloomsburg, Kutztown and Mansfield rounded out the remainder of the rankings in the East.
 
2026 PSAC Baseball Preseason Polls (# of first-place votes in parentheses)
Eastern Division
1. East Stroudsburg (6)
2. Millersville (2)
3. West Chester
4. Shippensburg
5. Shepherd
6. Bloomsburg
7. Kutztown
8. Mansfield
 
Western Division
1. Seton Hill (6)
2. Slippery Rock (2)
3. IUP
4. California
5. Gannon
6. Clarion
7. Pitt-Johnstown
8. Lock Haven
 
The Road Ahead
The Bald Eagles are set for 50 regular-season games, highlighted by early-season trips to West Virginia and a heavy home schedule in March and April.
 
Lock Haven opens the 2026 campaign with a four-game non-conference set at Glenville State in Glenville, W.Va., Feb. 21-22, playing doubleheaders both days. The following weekend, the Bald Eagles head to Morgantown, W.Va., for three neutral-site games at Mylan Park, facing Frostburg State on Feb. 27, Lake Erie on Feb. 28 and Fairmont State on March 1. Another key road series follows March 7-8 with a four-game non-conference set at Salem in Salem, W. Va., giving The Haven an extended early look against Mountain East Conference opposition.
 
Home dates at Watkins Field
In all, Lock Haven is slated to play home dates against Penn State Berks, Shippensburg, Kutztown, Clarion, California (Pa.), Mansfield, Seton Hill, IUP, Bloomsburg, Slippery Rock, Pitt-Johnstown and Gannon at Watkins Field. The 2026 slate gives the Bald Eagles a balanced mix of early non-conference tests and a competitive PSAC schedule as Lock Haven looks to climb the conference standings this spring.
 
Lock Haven makes its 2026 home debut on Tuesday, March 10, hosting Penn State Berks in a non-conference matchup at Watkins Field. The following weekend, the Bald Eagles travel to Shippensburg for a twinbill on March 14, before welcoming the Raiders to Watkins Field for a doubleheader on March 15. The Bald Eagles continue divisional crossover action by hosting Kutztown on March 17.
 
The Haven opens its PSAC West schedule with home-and-home sets Clarion on March 20 (away) and March 21 (home).
 
Stretch run into May
Lock Haven closes PSAC play with a late-April and early-May push that could have postseason implications. The Bald Eagles face Pitt-Johnstown in a home-and-home doubleheader series, hosting the Mountain Cats on April 24 before heading to Johnstown on April 25. Lock Haven then wraps up the regular season against Gannon, traveling to Erie for a doubleheader on April 30 and welcoming the Golden Knights to Watkins Field for a season-ending twinbill on May 1.
 
 A quick look at the 2026 Bald Eagles
Lock Haven baseball's 2025 stat sheet features a balanced group of veteran bats and emerging arms leading the way for the Bald Eagles.

Behind a .269 team batting average and 17 wins in 2025, The Haven leaned on a core of consistent run-producers and a deep pitching staff that combined for 274 strikeouts over 337 innings. The Bald Eagles finished 17-31 overall, including a 7-20 mark in conference play, while playing 15 games at home and 30 on the road or at neutral sites.
 
Offensive Leaders
Sophomore infielder Ethan Nagy was featured in the heart of the order as a freshman, hitting .336 over 48 games with 50 hits, nine doubles and 17 RBIs. Nagy also showed excellent plate, reaching base at a .405 rate and anchored the infield defensively with a .982 fielding percentage on 285 chances.

Junior Zach McEllroy chipped in a .271 average with 10 doubles, two home runs and 23 RBIs across 43 starts.

Freshman Kaden Rodarmel provided a spark, hitting .438 in limited action with seven hits in 16 at-bats and four stolen bases.

On the bases, Lock Haven finished 39-for-44 in stolen-base attempts.

Pitching Staff
The Bald Eagles will rely on a deep group of returners and strong recruiting class to fill out the weekend rotation and bullpen after graduating three players that combined for over 130 innings.
 
Out of the bullpen, Jace Szaflarski anchored the late innings with a sparkling 1.17 ERA and seven saves in 13 appearances. The right-hander allowed just eight hits and two earned runs over 15.1 innings, holding opponents to a .154 average while striking out 16.
 
??Will Stambaugh logged 33.2 innings, one win and picked up a win while fanning 23 hitters.
 
Nagy was featured as a two-way player last season and gained valuable experience on the hill, where he racked up 34 innings, one win, and 31 strikeouts in 12 appearances and eight starts.
 
Levi Schlesinger and Caleb Zimmerman combined for 18 appearances in 2025.

For more information on Lock Haven baseball, including full statistics and schedule information, visit LockHavenAthletics.com.