Lehigh University Athletics
Photo by: Lucas Morrell
Leary Adds 13 Newcomers Ahead of 2027 Season
8/24/2026 11:01:00 AM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Peter E. Bennett '63 head baseball coach Sean Leary, now entering his 32nd season at the helm of the program, has announced the signing of 13 newcomers, including eleven first-years and two transfer student-athletes.
The incoming class features student-athletes from seven different states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Michael Basile – C – Mountainside, N.J. – Governor Livingston
Basile is a catcher from Mountainside, New Jersey and Governor Livingston High School. Basile is a two-time New Jersey Group II state champion, three-time first team All-Union County Conference, and a two-time second team All-Group II selection. Academically, Basile is a member of the National Honors Society and the Athletics Honors Society.
CJ Chatterton – INF – Rockville, Md. – Georgetown Prep (Randolph Macon)
Chatterton played the 2025 season at Randolph Macon College prior to joining the Mountain Hawks. Chatterton earned VaSID All-State First Team honors, ODAC Rookie of the Year, and was an All-ODAC First Team selection. He appeared and started in 37 games for the Yellow Jackets, ranking second on the team with a .354 batting average. Chatterton recorded 37 runs and 21 RBIm was first on the team with 20 stolen bases, hit .448 with 30 hits and 26 runs in 19 conference games, and had a season-high two doubles and 5 RBI in a win over Shenandoah.
Toby Harris – INF – Brooklyn, N.Y. – Berkeley Carroll School
Harris hails from Brooklyn, N.Y. and played his high school ball at Berkeley Carroll School. While there, he was a three-time league champion and a two-time team captain. Academically, Harris made the honor roll all four years of high school.
Austin Havertine – P – Radnor, Pa. – Radnor
Havertine joins the program from Radnor, Pennsylvania and Radnor High School. He leaves Radnor as the most decorated pitcher in school history, as he broke every pitching record at his school. In addition, the pitching award at Radnor was named in his honor. Havertine was a three-time first team all-league selection, three-time all-conference selection and two-time first team all-state selection. Austin's twin brother, Blake, is playing baseball at Franklin & Marshall.
Cody Herman – P – Wyckoff, N.J. – Ramapo
Herman is a 6'2 pitcher from Wyckoff, New Jersey and Ramapo High School. While at Ramapo, Herman was a two-time first team All-League selection, a second team All-Bergen County selection, and a New Jersey third team All-Group 3 selection. Academically, Herman was on the honor roll in all 16 quarters of his high school career and is a member of the National Honors Society. Herman's aunt, Wendy Szczerbiak, played basketball at Lehigh while his uncle, Wally, is a former NBA all-star who played ten seasons in the league.
Carson Kelm – P – Pasadena, Md. – Mount Saint Joseph
A 6'3 pitcher, Kelm joins Lehigh from Pasadena, Maryland and Mount Saint Joseph. As a senior, Kelm tossed 41.0 innings with a 5-0 record, 44 strikeouts, a 3.04 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP, earning All-MIAA Conference honorable mention in the process. At school, Kelm was the Business Club president, was on the honor roll in all quarters, and graduated with his school's business certificate.
Luke Mahoney – RHP – Darien, Conn. – Choate Rosemary Hall
Mahoney comes to Bethlehem from Darien, Connecticut and Choate Rosemary Hall. Mahoney was a Rawlings Perfect Game Preseason All-American, was ranked the number seven player in Connecticut in the 2026 Baseball America draft preview and was ranked the number four pitcher in Connecticut by Perfect Game. He was a starting pitcher for the number one ranked high school baseball team in the Northeast at Choate, posting statistics of 45.2 innings, 61 strikeouts, a 1.83 ERA and an 8-1 record over his final two seasons. Mahoney comes from a family of athletes, as his mother, Sarah, played basketball at Yale and his father, Todd, played baseball at Penn.
Michael Olender – OF – Flemington, N.J. – The Hun School (La Salle)
Prior to joining Lehigh, Olender spent 2026 season at La Salle. He appeared in 17 games, making eight starts with eight hits, five runs, and two RBIs. Olender played high school baseball for The Hun School of Princeton in Princeton, N.J. and did a postgraduate year at Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J. He was ranked as the No. 5 outfielder and No. 31-overall player in the Class of 2025 (Perfect Game) in a baseball-rich state of New Jersey which saw 23 players selected in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Drew Patton – RHP – Herndon, Va. – Herndon
Patton joins the program from Herndon, Virginia and Herndon High School. Patton boasts career statistics of 75 innings pitched, 94 strikeouts, a 2.40 ERA, and a .203 BAA as a three-year varsity player. He was an All-Liberty District second team selection as a senior with a 1.00 ERA, All-Liberty District honorable mention as a junior, and helped lead Herndon to its first Liberty District championship in 24 years and fourth state playoff appearance in school history. Patton's father, Jason, graduated from Lehigh with a degree in civil engineering in 1997.
Petros Rouggeris – OF – Oradell, N.J. – Paramus Catholic
Rouggeris is an outfielder from Oradell, New Jersey and Paramus Catholic High School. While at Paramus Catholic, Rouggeris was a one-time first team All-League selection and two-time second team All-League selection. Academically, Rouggeris was an Aquinas Scholar, a two-time Principal's List selection, and earned first and second honors for having between a 3.8-4.0 GPA.
Gavin Ruta – OF – Plymouth Meeting, Pa. – William Penn
Ruta is an outfielder from Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania and William Penn Charter School. A four-year varsity starter, Ruta slashed over .400 as a junior and recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage. He also played for the Philly Bandits travel team. Ruta's father, Dustin, played football at Albright College.
Darien Serrano – P – Bethlehem, Pa. – Freedom
Serrano is a local product from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Freedom High School. While at Freedom, Serrano was a first team All-Conference selection, won the Freedom Hitter award, was selected for the Baseball U Prospect Team that played in the PG National Championship, and was a second team All-Area Preseason selection. Academically, Serrano made the honor roll for four years in a row. Serrano's sister, Addison, played lacrosse at Tiffin University.
Sawyer Tipton – RHP – Highlands Ranch, Colo. – Mountain Vista
Tipton comes to the Lehigh Valley from Highlands Ranch, Colorado and Mountain Vista High School. Tipton starred his senior season, tossing 57 innings with 79 strikeouts, a 1.84 ERA and a .157 BAA. He was a first-team All-Continental League selection, Continental League Pitcher of the Year, CHSAA/MaxPreps Class 5A First Team All-State selection, Prep Baseball Colorado First Team All-State selection, Denver Post All-Colorado Team selection, and a Roy Halladay Award honorable mention. Tipton's mother, Laura, played softball at Cal Poly.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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The incoming class features student-athletes from seven different states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Michael Basile – C – Mountainside, N.J. – Governor Livingston
Basile is a catcher from Mountainside, New Jersey and Governor Livingston High School. Basile is a two-time New Jersey Group II state champion, three-time first team All-Union County Conference, and a two-time second team All-Group II selection. Academically, Basile is a member of the National Honors Society and the Athletics Honors Society.
CJ Chatterton – INF – Rockville, Md. – Georgetown Prep (Randolph Macon)
Chatterton played the 2025 season at Randolph Macon College prior to joining the Mountain Hawks. Chatterton earned VaSID All-State First Team honors, ODAC Rookie of the Year, and was an All-ODAC First Team selection. He appeared and started in 37 games for the Yellow Jackets, ranking second on the team with a .354 batting average. Chatterton recorded 37 runs and 21 RBIm was first on the team with 20 stolen bases, hit .448 with 30 hits and 26 runs in 19 conference games, and had a season-high two doubles and 5 RBI in a win over Shenandoah.
Toby Harris – INF – Brooklyn, N.Y. – Berkeley Carroll School
Harris hails from Brooklyn, N.Y. and played his high school ball at Berkeley Carroll School. While there, he was a three-time league champion and a two-time team captain. Academically, Harris made the honor roll all four years of high school.
Austin Havertine – P – Radnor, Pa. – Radnor
Havertine joins the program from Radnor, Pennsylvania and Radnor High School. He leaves Radnor as the most decorated pitcher in school history, as he broke every pitching record at his school. In addition, the pitching award at Radnor was named in his honor. Havertine was a three-time first team all-league selection, three-time all-conference selection and two-time first team all-state selection. Austin's twin brother, Blake, is playing baseball at Franklin & Marshall.
Cody Herman – P – Wyckoff, N.J. – Ramapo
Herman is a 6'2 pitcher from Wyckoff, New Jersey and Ramapo High School. While at Ramapo, Herman was a two-time first team All-League selection, a second team All-Bergen County selection, and a New Jersey third team All-Group 3 selection. Academically, Herman was on the honor roll in all 16 quarters of his high school career and is a member of the National Honors Society. Herman's aunt, Wendy Szczerbiak, played basketball at Lehigh while his uncle, Wally, is a former NBA all-star who played ten seasons in the league.
Carson Kelm – P – Pasadena, Md. – Mount Saint Joseph
A 6'3 pitcher, Kelm joins Lehigh from Pasadena, Maryland and Mount Saint Joseph. As a senior, Kelm tossed 41.0 innings with a 5-0 record, 44 strikeouts, a 3.04 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP, earning All-MIAA Conference honorable mention in the process. At school, Kelm was the Business Club president, was on the honor roll in all quarters, and graduated with his school's business certificate.
Luke Mahoney – RHP – Darien, Conn. – Choate Rosemary Hall
Mahoney comes to Bethlehem from Darien, Connecticut and Choate Rosemary Hall. Mahoney was a Rawlings Perfect Game Preseason All-American, was ranked the number seven player in Connecticut in the 2026 Baseball America draft preview and was ranked the number four pitcher in Connecticut by Perfect Game. He was a starting pitcher for the number one ranked high school baseball team in the Northeast at Choate, posting statistics of 45.2 innings, 61 strikeouts, a 1.83 ERA and an 8-1 record over his final two seasons. Mahoney comes from a family of athletes, as his mother, Sarah, played basketball at Yale and his father, Todd, played baseball at Penn.
Michael Olender – OF – Flemington, N.J. – The Hun School (La Salle)
Prior to joining Lehigh, Olender spent 2026 season at La Salle. He appeared in 17 games, making eight starts with eight hits, five runs, and two RBIs. Olender played high school baseball for The Hun School of Princeton in Princeton, N.J. and did a postgraduate year at Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J. He was ranked as the No. 5 outfielder and No. 31-overall player in the Class of 2025 (Perfect Game) in a baseball-rich state of New Jersey which saw 23 players selected in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Drew Patton – RHP – Herndon, Va. – Herndon
Patton joins the program from Herndon, Virginia and Herndon High School. Patton boasts career statistics of 75 innings pitched, 94 strikeouts, a 2.40 ERA, and a .203 BAA as a three-year varsity player. He was an All-Liberty District second team selection as a senior with a 1.00 ERA, All-Liberty District honorable mention as a junior, and helped lead Herndon to its first Liberty District championship in 24 years and fourth state playoff appearance in school history. Patton's father, Jason, graduated from Lehigh with a degree in civil engineering in 1997.
Petros Rouggeris – OF – Oradell, N.J. – Paramus Catholic
Rouggeris is an outfielder from Oradell, New Jersey and Paramus Catholic High School. While at Paramus Catholic, Rouggeris was a one-time first team All-League selection and two-time second team All-League selection. Academically, Rouggeris was an Aquinas Scholar, a two-time Principal's List selection, and earned first and second honors for having between a 3.8-4.0 GPA.
Gavin Ruta – OF – Plymouth Meeting, Pa. – William Penn
Ruta is an outfielder from Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania and William Penn Charter School. A four-year varsity starter, Ruta slashed over .400 as a junior and recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage. He also played for the Philly Bandits travel team. Ruta's father, Dustin, played football at Albright College.
Darien Serrano – P – Bethlehem, Pa. – Freedom
Serrano is a local product from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Freedom High School. While at Freedom, Serrano was a first team All-Conference selection, won the Freedom Hitter award, was selected for the Baseball U Prospect Team that played in the PG National Championship, and was a second team All-Area Preseason selection. Academically, Serrano made the honor roll for four years in a row. Serrano's sister, Addison, played lacrosse at Tiffin University.
Sawyer Tipton – RHP – Highlands Ranch, Colo. – Mountain Vista
Tipton comes to the Lehigh Valley from Highlands Ranch, Colorado and Mountain Vista High School. Tipton starred his senior season, tossing 57 innings with 79 strikeouts, a 1.84 ERA and a .157 BAA. He was a first-team All-Continental League selection, Continental League Pitcher of the Year, CHSAA/MaxPreps Class 5A First Team All-State selection, Prep Baseball Colorado First Team All-State selection, Denver Post All-Colorado Team selection, and a Roy Halladay Award honorable mention. Tipton's mother, Laura, played softball at Cal Poly.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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