ANNVILLE, Pa. - The baseball team has voted in its captains for the 2012 season, head coach Keith Evans announced Wednesday. Along with returning captains Colt Zarilla and Jake Rhody, Ryan Schwartz and Dustin Deibert have been tapped to lead a squad that features 11 incoming freshmen.
 
Zarilla, a senior who doubles as a shortstop and a relief pitcher, started 29 games for the Dutchmen last season, hitting .260 with a homerun and 10 RBIs. He pitched in two games, recording three strikeouts in 2.1 innings. This is his third year being selected as a captain.
 
Rhody, a senior first baseman, hit .336 with two homeruns and 19 RBIs in 2011. He led the team with 37 hits and finished second with 20 runs scored out of the middle of the lineup. He enters his second season as a captain.
 
“Colt plays the game with a lot of passion and works very hard on and off the field,” Evans said. “Jake is a competitor on the field. He hustles all game long.”
 
Schwartz, a senior second baseman, was named a captain for his first time after a season in which he hit .289 with 16 RBIs and 19 runs scored. He was one of just two players to start in all 36 games.
 
Deibert, a senior outfielder, is a four-year starter in center field who has seen time on the mound. Last season, he hit .286 with a homerun, 12 RBIs, and 14 runs scored. As a pitcher, he stuck out 18 batters in 26.2 innings and finished with a 4.72 ERA.
 
On his new captains, Evans said: “Ryan loves the game of baseball, and it shows. He is always working to get better and will be a great role model for our younger players. Dustin is a great team guy, and he will do whatever we ask him to do on the field.”
 
The Dutchmen look to put last season's 17-19 finish behind them, beginning with their annual Spring Break trip to Fort Pierce, Fla. This year's trip includes games against Penn State Brandywine, Westminster, Misericordia, Ursinus, La Roche, and Bridgewater State.