Key players from school's backyard helping Seton Hill baseball to brilliant season

Seton Hill baseball has a 26-game winning streak in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, a .979 team fielding percentage, a 3.20 team ERA and a No. 16 ranking in the country.

While impressive on a national scale, it is unlikely any of it happens without a local pool of recruits.

Longtime coach Marc Marizzaldi has made it a point to pull talent from his backyard — he would be remiss not to — and it is one of the key reasons he has raised a national Division II power.

His local crop this year is a shining example.

They have taken their turn on the assembly line to help churn out 38 wins in 46 attempts — 38-8 overall and 24-0 in the PSAC West.

Some grease the wheels. Others shut down threats. Others keep the turnstiles moving.

“I feel like, as a team, we all work well together having the same goal of winning a national championship and working towards that,” freshman center fielder Jack Whalen said. “We know we put in countless of hours of work, so the success is no surprise to us.”

Whalen is a Norwin grad, as are senior shortstop Owen Sabol and junior outfielder Adam Shephard.

“I truly believe that Norwin guys have success in the Seton Hill program because of (former Norwin) coaches (Mike) Liebdzinski and (Tom) Quealy,” Sabol said. “They have similar coaching styles to coach Maz, which helped prepare us for playing here.

“Local guys love coming to Seton Hill because we have a top-tier program in our backyard.”

Other local players are senior third baseman Jack Oberdorf and senior right fielder Noah Sweeney from Greensburg Salem, freshman infielder Joe Fiedor, senior pitcher Tyler Dancu and sophomore infielder Christian Zilli from Hempfield and junior pitcher Michael Marinchak from Ligonier Valley.

“It makes the team connection better and allows us to be ourselves a lot more,” Sweeney said of the local connections. “Competing against each other at such a young age and knowing each other’s games gives us a competitive advantage against our opponents.”

Whalen has been a welcome addition and has made his mark right away. The first-year player is leading off and making plays in multiple ways.

He is hitting .344 with a team-leading 45 runs and 37 stolen bases. He has 12 doubles and 16 RBIs over 44 starts.

“I’m just glad to be able to contribute to the success,” Whalen said, “especially being a freshman, and looking up to the older guys as role models, it was very easy to fit in.”

Marizzaldi has to sometimes remind himself that Whalen is “only a freshman.”

“He leads the league in stolen bases, has been an offensive catalyst at the top of our order,” Marizzaldi said. “He plays center field good as anyone in the PSAC.”

Oberdorf, a veteran leader, leads the Griffins with nine home runs, three triples and 40 RBIs and is second in OPS (1.037). He is hitting .333 and has started all 46 games.

Sabol (.329), who anchors a sharp defense, has 29 runs and 29 RBIs in 45 games.

Sabol and Oberdorf, Marizzaldi said, are models of consistency.

“(Oberdorf) is the best defensive third baseman I’ve ever coached,” the coach said. “He’s been a driving force during this win streak, too, racking up 19 RBI and raising his average 35 points since our last loss against Point Park (April 11).

“(Sabol) has evolved into one of the elite shortstops in Division II. His offense has really picked up lately, raising his average 67 points during our win streak.”

Fiedor, a second baseman, has played in 29 games and has 29 runs and 11 RBIs. Marizzaldi called him the team’s biggest surprise.

“And the most improved player since the fall,” Marizzaldi said. “Before conference play started, he was hitting .188. He’s raised that average to .360 in his first season in the PSAC. Quite a feat for a freshman. And he’s followed Sabol’s and Oberdorf’s lead playing excellent defense.”

Sweeney (Westmoreland County Community College) and Shephard (Mercyhurst) are transfers.

Sweeney recovered from a broken hand in the fall. Dancu also has battled arm issues, which has slowed his early progess.

“Shephard has fit right into our program after transferring in,” Marizzaldi said. “He is a super teammate and tireless worker.

“(Sweeney) has contributed to a rotation at the corner outfield spots, providing great defense and baserunning.”

Sweeney had only heard about the winning culture at Seton Hill in the past. Experiencing it has been validation: He’s a believer.

“This team is special,” Sweeney said. “We play for each other and love battling every weekend. Our biggest strength is our consistency and trust in each other. We know that if we play good defense, get timely hitting and pitch it well, we’re one of the best teams in the country.

“We all trust each other in every situation, and live with the results.”

Marizzaldi said Marinchak will be an important bullpen piece in the postseason.

Zilli’s best days might lie ahead.

“He’s gotten stuck behind the best left side of the infield in the region in Sabol and Oberdorf,” Marizzaldi said. “But he’s a leader on our team and contributes in a lot of ways people don’t see.”