Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina baseball and head coach
Bobby Moranda this week announced its 2022 team captains for the rapidly approaching upcoming season.
Redshirt senior right-handed relief pitcher
Jacob Corn and junior right-handed starter
Zebby Matthews have been selected as the team captains for the 2022 season. For Matthews, his election by the squad marks his second-consecutive season after earning the nod last spring.
"Our players made two outstanding choices for this year's team captains with Jacob and Zebby. Their daily work ethic and competitiveness are at an elite standard that has been highly respected within our program for several years now," said Moranda of his two captains chosen by their teammates. "I love them and couldn't be prouder of these two Catamounts. I feel that their leadership together will be a major factor towards helping us make a SoCon baseball championship run in 2022."
Corn transferred to WCU from Spartanburg Methodist as a redshirt sophomore ahead of 2019 and enters his fourth year wearing the Purple & Gold. Over the past three seasons, the Landrum, S.C., native has made 39 appearances, 36 of which in relief. He has a 5.83 cumulative ERA over 58.2 innings pitched with 52 strikeouts against 28 walks. Corn has been a vocal leader for the squad the past three years and officially carries the captain's "C" into his final season on the diamond.
A second-team All-Southern Conference selection a season ago despite being sidelined with injury after 10 starts in 2021, Matthews was elected team captain for a second-consecutive year. The Cullowhee, N.C., product posted a 6-2 overall record with a 3.52 ERA, the sixth-best in the SoCon. He struck out a team-best 60 over 61.1 innings of work, twice fanning double-digits in a game including a career-high 12 against St. John's in mid-March.
Matthews was a three-time SoCon Pitcher of the Week in 2021 and was dubbed the league's Pitcher of the Month last February. He is a two-time SoCon Academic Honor Roll recipient
Western Carolina baseball resumed individual workout sessions as classes resumed for the spring semester on Monday., Jan. 10. Team practice ahead of the 2022 season-opener begins on Friday, Jan. 28. The Southern Conference preseason poll and all-conference teams are slated to be unveiled around February 10 ahead of the start of the season.
The Catamounts open their
56-game schedule on Friday, Feb. 18 with doubleheader action against Niagara at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium in Cullowhee. Season tickets for WCU's home schedule are on sale now through the Catamount Athletics ticket office, located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, by phone at (828) 227-2401, or
online at CatamountSports.com. Packages include general admission tickets for the upper grandstand bleacher areas, or reserved chairback seating options along the field level or directly behind home plate in the upper, covered seating areas.
Single-game ticket sales for individual home games at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium begin on Monday, Jan. 31, 2022.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount baseball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB) and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountbsb).
