Just over 10 months ago, after winning the Empire 8 championship, then Brockport head coach Justin Beach, who had been coaching Golden Eagle baseball for over 20 years, struggled to find the right words to describe the well-oiled, fundamentally sound, group of winners that he led.
“This team is excelling beyond any team I’ve ever had, and doing things I didn’t think we could do at some point,” Beach said.
Beach, Brockport’s all-time leader in coaching wins with 416, didn’t speak in hyperbole. The 2025 Golden Eagles won a program record 36 games, going 21-1-1 in conference play, and dominating the Empire 8 tournament, allowing just one run in their three wins, outscoring opponents 23-1.
Beach, who transitioned into a new role as Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance within the Department of Athletics, is passing the reigns to former Golden Eagles baseball assistant head coach Nick Pontari. Pontari was a two-year varsity player and captain at Brockport, later becoming a coach for the Golden Eagles from 2015-2019.
The 13th head coach in Golden Eagles baseball history saw his Russell Sage Gators fall to Brockport in the Empire 8 championship game last year. After launching the program in 2020, Pontari led the Gators to two Empire 8 Conference Tournament finals and one regular season conference crown.
Led by NCAA Division III ABCA/Rawlings National Position Player of the Year and D3baseball.com Player of the Year Zach Eldred, who hit a program-record 18 home runs to go along with a .414 batting average and an 8-0 record with a 1.89 ERA on the mound, the Golden Eagles cruised through the Empire 8 conference. Now, with Eldred and many other prominent Golden Eagles last year graduating, Brockport is looking to its young nucleus to continue its winning ways.
One of those players is freshman shortstop Blake Fortunato. The Deposit, NY native is leading the Golden Eagles in batting average (.393) and OPS (1.040) through their first 10 games. Fortunato was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Week on March 2.
The Golden Eagles have also gotten some help from transfers Michael Norton and Evan Brock. Norton was named Empire 8 Player of the Week on Feb. 23 after driving in seven runs in his first three games as a Golden Eagle. Brock, who went to Rush-Henrietta high school, is leading the green and gold in home runs (3), total bases (24) and SLG% (.585).
“The main thing that attracted me (to Brockport) was just the culture,” Norton said. “That blue collar, go get it done attitude is just something I live by, and I knew Brockport was the fit for me.” First Team All-E8 and Third Team All-Region outfielder Kyle Blake is hitting .304 so far in his third season for the Golden Eagles. Blake has also driven in a team-high 13 runs. The junior was second on Brockport in batting average in 2025 at .396.
Sophomore Ben Yerina has been the Golden Eagles most successful pitcher so far, pitching to a 3.86 ERA in 14.0 innings across three appearances. The Burnt Hills, NY native made his first start for the Golden Eagles on March 8 against UMass Dartmouth, striking out eight across six innings, allowing just one run.
Brockport has started the year at 2-8. Empire 8 play begins on March 20 against Keuka. The Golden Eagles home opener is against Oneonta on March 29. Despite the slow start, Brockport looks to go back-t0-back as Empire 8 champions and earn another bid to the DIII NCAA Tournament.
