BEAVER TOWNSHIP — The Youngstown State baseball team will open its 70th intercollegiate season Feb. 16 when it travels to San Marcos, Texas for a three-game weekend series with the Texas State Bobcats.

Head coach Dan Bertolini, who enters his eighth season at the helm of Penguins’ program in 2024, is hoping that the upcoming season begins the way last season ended when they won 12 of their final 15 contests after struggling to a 7-33 start.

“Our schedule has always been difficult,” Bertolini told the Curbstone Coaches assembled for Monday’s weekly meeting at Avion Banquet Center. “We get to play in warm weather during February against some excellent competition, all the while getting ready for a challenging Horizon League slate.

“This is without question the deepest team that I have fielded in my eight years at YSU. I feel this is the best pitching staff we have assembled, starters to relievers, and everyone is looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

The Penguins won the conference tournament championship in 2004 and again in 2014, earning the league’s automatic NCAA tournament bid in the process.

If 10-year increments are a championship barometer, expect Bertolini’s squad to make a push for their third tournament appearance this spring.

“When you talk Horizon League baseball, it starts with Wright State University as the Raiders have been the class of the conference the past decade or so,” Bertolini said. “Expect Oakland and Northern Kentucky to be competitive as well, but this year it looks as if it is a wide open competition. The team that stays healthy will be the team that is left standing.”

Bertolini lost starters Steven D’Eusanio (first base), all-conference selection Pad O’Shaughnessy (first base, designated hitter) and left-fielder Andre Good, as well as pitchers Patrick Gumto (closer) and Kenny Misik (reliever).

The transfer portal also claimed Braeden O’Shaughnessy, who will play his graduate season at Campbell University and Turner Grau, who transferred to Pitt.

Gained from the portal is former South Range pitching standout Jake Gehring (Ohio State), outfielder Teddy Ruffner (UNC-Wilmington) and pitcher Nolan Kubilus (San Diego City College).

“We have a nice mix of veterans and underclassmen this year,” Bertolini said. “The veterans will provide much needed leadership, while the younger players continue to push for playing time.”

Of the 40 players that dot this year’s roster, there is one fifth-year player, two seniors, a redshirt senior, nine juniors, a redshirt junior, seven sophomores, four redshirt sophomores, 13 true freshmen and two redshirt freshmen.

Bertolini’s depth chart includes starting twirlers Gehring, Sloan Ulrich, Braden Gebhart, Lane Rhodes and Aidan English, relievers Casey Marshalwitz, Nick Perez and Brandon Mikos with newcomers Chris Domke, Olindo Pezzone, Colin Casteel, Gavin Wilms and Kubilus also set for duty.

Ian Francis and Trey Pancake will call signals behind the plate, Aiden Dunlap and Vince D’Eusanio are the first base hopefuls, Brett Stanley and Joe Suarez are in a heated competition at the Keystone sack, Trey Law and Brandon McClain-Banks are the shortstops, while Matt Thompson and Nick Miscavage are hot corner candidates.

Bertolini’s outfield has Eli Brown and Ruffner in left, Derrick Tarpley, Jr. and Alejandro Covas in center with R.J. Sherwood and Chase Franken battling it out in left.

Tarpley, a Brownsville, Pennsylvania native, was an 18th round pick of the Oakland Athletics in last June’s MLB amateur draft and decided not to sign, opting instead to attend YSU for his freshman year.

The program’s popular “First Pitch Breakfast” returns Saturday to Waypoint in Canfield with former New York Yankee Hall of Fame reliever Goose Gossage, and former YSU twirler-Minor League Baseball front office executive of the year, Rick Muntean, as featured speakers.

Tickets can be obtained by contacting assistant coach Eric Bunnell at ebunnell@ysu.edu.

Next week, Greg Brown, Pittsburgh Pirates radio and television broadcaster, will serve as guest speaker.