ANNVILLE, PA – The Susquehanna University baseball team has been picked to finish eighth in the annual Commonwealth Conference coaches’ poll, as selected by the league’s eight head coaches.

Defending regular-season champion Lebanon Valley has been picked to repeat its first-place finish of a year ago, followed by defending playoff champion Elizabethtown, Messiah, Juniata, Widener, Albright, Moravian and Susquehanna.

The Crusaders, under fourth-year head coach Tim Briggs, are led offensively by sophomore third baseman Bob Haile (Sunbury, PA/Shikellamy H.S.), who is batting .321 through Susquehanna’s first nine games. Senior shortstop Matt Springman (Montoursville, PA/Montoursville H.S.) is hitting .312 while senior catcher Travis Zook (Belleville, PA/Indian Valley H.S.) is batting .250 and leads the team with eight walks.

Susquehanna (1-8) kicks off its Commonwealth Conference schedule on Monday with a doubleheader against Messiah beginning at 1 p.m. at Bollinger Field.