Cobleskill, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's baseball team will open the 2021 season on Sunday March 21 when they host the Cardinals of SUNY Plattsburgh at Fighting Tiger Field. Due to pandemic restrictions, no spectators will be allowed to home contests this season. The Fighting Tigers are entering their first season of membership in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) after posting an 8-5 record in the pandemic shortened 2020 campaign.

The Fighting Tigers will be led by three veteran players who were identified as the Top NCAA Division III Baseball Players for the 2021 season by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Junior outfielder Nick Thomas, Scotia, N.Y., Scotia-Glenville High School/Hudson Valley Community College, junior shortstop/outfielder Eddy Garcia, Bronx, N.Y., World View High School, along with senior outfielder/first baseman Jayson Maxwell, Newport, N.Y., Notre Dame High School, will counted on to lead an offense that averaged 7.3 runs per game while compiling a .291 batting average and was among the NCAA Division III national team statistical leaders in home runs closing the campaign ranked 28^th in the country with 10 home runs in 13 games.  

Among the newcomers, junior transfer Samuel Gutierrez, Bayside, N.Y., Martin Van Buren High School/Queensborough Community College, a lefty slugging first baseman/outfielder is projected to bring additional power and speed to the line-up this season.

The Cobleskill pitching staff will return junior southpaw Devin Lewis, Cobleskill, N.Y., Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, who was 2-1 with a 5.19 ERA and senior right hander Jarrod Williams, Baldwinsville, N.Y., C.W. Baker High School/Finger Lakes Community College, who was 2-2 overall with a 4.58 ERA.

A pair of freshman right handers will also be counted on for production this year as Andrew Jarkow, Glen Head, N.Y., North Shore High School, and Stephen Tejada, Queens, N.Y., High School for Construction, should see plenty of action this season.

Third-year Head Coach Lance Ratchford has compiled a 24-27 overall record since taking over the program in 2019 while leading the team to a birth in the 2019 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Championship Tournament for the first time in program history after finishing 9-9 overall in league play during the season.

According to the Fighting Tiger mentor, "We are excited about the opportunity to play again and the move to the NAC this year.".