FredJacket
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Gardner-Webb coming to town. Second Big South opponent in a row. D1 Baseball projected them to finish behind Presbyterian in that conference... FWIW.
Below is D1 Baseball's preseason 'view' on GW.
On paper, this is Ga Tech's weakest [weekend] series opponent on the schedule.
Gardner-Webb rode a veteran core and a bona fide ace (third-round pick Mason Miller) to a 27-12 showing in the Big South in 2021, Jim Chester’s first full season as head coach. Chester’s program has wind in its sails, but the Runnin’ Bulldogs will have to start fresh this spring with a lineup that returns no starting position players from a year ago. GW will need some unproven second-year players (1B Pete Capbianco, 2B Andy Jones, LF Benino Mendella, CF Nate Anderson) to take big steps forward and bushel of transfers to make immediate impacts. Capobianco was one of the stars of the fall, smashing six home runs, and will be counted upon to help anchor the heart of the order, alongside Division III transfer Trevor Mattson, who hit .436/.574/.830 at Arcadia (Pa.) College last spring and looked like a D-I hitter in the fall. Penn State graduate transfer Curtis Robison might be the best pure hitter in the lineup and is expected to serve as the catalyst atop the order. Another grad transfer, Alex Ray from Louisiana Tech, should take over at shortstop, where he’s a rock-solid defender. Ray started 59 games for a regional-hosting team last spring. A third D-I transfer, Humberto Torres (FIU), is part of a catching platoon with sophomore Bo Rusher III, and the coaches feel very good about that combination.
Replacing Miller in the rotation won’t be easy, but Gardner-Webb has another power-armed righty ready to assume the mantle of staff ace in sophomore Bobby Alcock, who showed 92-95 heat all fall with a riding fastball that says on plane along with a good breaking ball. UConn transfer Joe Simeone has plenty of experience and should be up for the task of pitching on Saturdays; he attacks at 88-91, but his swing-and-miss changeup is his bread and butter. Sophomore Lenny Washington took a nice step forward this fall, showing a heavy fastball up to 93, and could anchor the bullpen. Projectable lefty Tyler Switalski leads a precocious group of freshman arms who need to hit the ground running.
Below is D1 Baseball's preseason 'view' on GW.
On paper, this is Ga Tech's weakest [weekend] series opponent on the schedule.
Gardner-Webb rode a veteran core and a bona fide ace (third-round pick Mason Miller) to a 27-12 showing in the Big South in 2021, Jim Chester’s first full season as head coach. Chester’s program has wind in its sails, but the Runnin’ Bulldogs will have to start fresh this spring with a lineup that returns no starting position players from a year ago. GW will need some unproven second-year players (1B Pete Capbianco, 2B Andy Jones, LF Benino Mendella, CF Nate Anderson) to take big steps forward and bushel of transfers to make immediate impacts. Capobianco was one of the stars of the fall, smashing six home runs, and will be counted upon to help anchor the heart of the order, alongside Division III transfer Trevor Mattson, who hit .436/.574/.830 at Arcadia (Pa.) College last spring and looked like a D-I hitter in the fall. Penn State graduate transfer Curtis Robison might be the best pure hitter in the lineup and is expected to serve as the catalyst atop the order. Another grad transfer, Alex Ray from Louisiana Tech, should take over at shortstop, where he’s a rock-solid defender. Ray started 59 games for a regional-hosting team last spring. A third D-I transfer, Humberto Torres (FIU), is part of a catching platoon with sophomore Bo Rusher III, and the coaches feel very good about that combination.
Replacing Miller in the rotation won’t be easy, but Gardner-Webb has another power-armed righty ready to assume the mantle of staff ace in sophomore Bobby Alcock, who showed 92-95 heat all fall with a riding fastball that says on plane along with a good breaking ball. UConn transfer Joe Simeone has plenty of experience and should be up for the task of pitching on Saturdays; he attacks at 88-91, but his swing-and-miss changeup is his bread and butter. Sophomore Lenny Washington took a nice step forward this fall, showing a heavy fastball up to 93, and could anchor the bullpen. Projectable lefty Tyler Switalski leads a precocious group of freshman arms who need to hit the ground running.
