ERIE, Pa. – The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) released its preseason baseball poll with a familiar face at the top.  The Penn State Behrend baseball team is picked to win the conference after finishing in second place a season ago.

Jay Condit (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) was tabbed as the Co-Pitcher of the Year after having an excellent sophomore season.

The Lions return 14 players from last season and are loaded with upperclassmen.  Two seniors, Ryan Geibel (East Butler, PA/Butler) and Joe Paterniti (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown), will lead the team along with nine juniors. 

Behrend earned an Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) tournament bid last season and fell in the championship to Grove City.

The Lions have won at least 27 games in seven consecutive seasons.  Over the past four years, Behrend has won the AMCC regular season twice and the conference tournament three times.

Condit was a dominant force on the bump all year.  The junior pitcher led the AMCC with five saves while posting a 5-0 record with a team-leading 1.49 ERA.  Condit was also named in Collegiate Baseball Magazine as a Division III player to watch.

The Lions begin their season on Sunday against Ursinus in Fort Pierce, Florida.  Game one of the doubleheader is set to start at 12 p.m.