PAWTUCKET, R.I. – The Little East Conference released the 2022 coaches poll, which had the Beacons picked to finish third this spring.

UMass Boston earned a combined 48 points. Eastern Connecticut State University was picked to win the LEC earning eight of the nine first place votes and 64 points. The University of Southern Maine picked-up one first place vote and had 55 points. Rhode Island College round out the top-4 with 43 points.

Last season, despite playing a shortened schedule due to COVID-19, the Beacons returned to the Little East Conference Tournament for the 16^th straight time. Head coach Brendan Eygabroat will welcome back three returners in Steve Brookwell (Hightstown, N.J.), Alex Amalfi (Ashland, Mass.), and Dylan Fashempour (Redlands, Calif.), who were featured on the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Players to Watch in 2022.

In his first season on the harbor campus, Brookwell appeared in 14 games and combined for 11 hits, 11 runs scored, three doubles, and seven RBI. He had a slugging percentage of .350 and a OPS of .738. He ended the year hitting .275.

Amalfi was one of the top hurlers in Division III last season. In seven appearances, the righty boasted a 1.93 ERA and had a WHIP of .64. He struckout 34 batters and held opponents to a .129 average. He all just 12 hits and six earned runs in 28 innings of work.

Fashempour will be making his long awaited return to the Beacons rotation. After being sidelined with an injury for the last two season, Fashempour will look to reproduce what he did as a freshman in 2022. In his first season with the Beacons, the righty led the Beacons to the program's third College World Series appearance. As a freshman, he boasted a 2.87 ERA and had 46 strikeouts, and held opponents to a .211 average in 59.2 innings of work.

The Beacons can also look for senior catcher Nico Kydes (Stamford, Conn.) to play a key role in the team's success in 2022. Last season he registered 10 hits and 12 runs scored, and had three doubles and five RBI in 16 games played. He ended the year with a .609 OPS, and had 129 putouts and seven assists behind the dish.

The Beacons will begin their 2022 season on March 1 when they host Lasell University at 3 p.m. 

2022 LEC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Eastern Connecticut - 64 points (8 FPV)
2. Southern Maine - 55 points (1 FPV)
3. UMass Boston - 48 points
4. Rhode Island College - 43 points
5. UMass Dartmouth - 40 points
6. Plymouth State - 25 points
7. Castleton - 22 points
8. Keene State -14 points
9. Western Connecticut - 13 points