BOONE, N.C. – App State Baseball will open up their 2023 campaign this weekend, with a three-game series against Queens in Hickory, N.C. Friday's game is scheduled for 5 p.m. while first pitch on Saturday and Sunday is set for 1 p.m. Single-game tickets are still available, and fans can also purchase a weekend package which includes tickets and parking to all three games as well as an App State t-shirt for just $50.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
App State returns five fifth-year seniors to the fold in 2023. The Mountaineers are led in that regard by 2021 First Team All-Conference second baseman
Luke Drumheller, and 2022 second team All-Conference catcher
Hayden Cross. The Mountaineers have a bolstered weekend rotation from a season ago, featuring
Xander Hamilton in the Friday night spot. App State has also brought in transfers
Ryan Sleeper and
Bradley Wilson to round out the weekend. App state has a total of 15 newcomers this season – five freshman, five JuCo transfers, and five transfers from other NCAA D1 institutions.
SCOUTING THE ROYALS
The Royals are competing in their inaugural D1 season, after joining the Atlantic Sun Conference to begin the 2022-23 sports season. Last season Queens went 29-22 overall and 17-7 in the South Atlantic Conference, before losing to champion Wingate in the conference tournament. Offensively the Royals return Nick Brassington who was named first team All-SAC last season boasting a .370 average and 15 home runs, while driving in 57 in 51 games. Dillon Lewis also returns after a standout freshman season in which he batted .350 and was named third team All-Conference. On the mound the Royals are led by Justin Offschanka who made a team-high ten starts a season ago.
SERIES HISTORY
This weekend's three-game series will mark the first meetings on the diamond between App State and Queens. The Royals are the only 2023 opponent that the Mountaineers have never before faced.
2022 RECAP
App State finished in 9
th place in the Sun Belt Conference in 2022 posting a record of 19-32 overall and 10-20 in Sun Belt play. The Mountaineers earned a victory over Little Rock in the opening round of the Sun Belt tournament, advancing to the quarter finals, where they fell to Georgia Southern. The Mountaineers were led by
Austin St. Laurent, who was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, as well as earning Freshman All-American Honors from Collegiate Baseball. He became just the fifth player in App State history to earn conference freshman of the year honors. Catcher
Hayden Cross was also named second-team All-Conference for App State. On the mound, the Mountaineers battled injury throughout the year, with their three weekend starters combining to miss 10 starts in 14 weeks.
Xander Hamilton led the way with nine strikeouts in each of his first five outings of the season, ranking second in the nation with 51 strikeouts, before he was hampered by injury.
UP NEXT:
App State will take on High Point on the road on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Willard Stadium. The Panthers host Bryant at home this weekend to kick off their 2023 campaign. Last season High Point went 23-33 overall and 14-10 in Big South play.
