Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina opens its 2022 baseball season this weekend, hosting the Niagara Purple Eagles out of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) for a four-game nonconference series at Childress Field /Hennon Stadium. The set begins with a Friday afternoon doubleheader scheduled for an adjusted time of 2 p.m., with Saturday's game scheduled for 2 p.m., and the series concluding on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Admission for this weekend's four-game series against Niagara is free of charge, though the chairback seats in both the field level and upper grandstands are reserved for those season ticket holders. Season ticket holders can pick up purchased tickets at the main ticket booth starting an hour before the game. WCU has also implemented a "Clear Bag Policy" at Hennon Stadium. Any alcoholic beverages, outside food and beverages, and other items not permitted in the stadium must be discarded prior to entering the stadium.
 
Fans are encouraged to utilize the new parking garage directly behind the stadium when coming to Childress Field / Hennon Stadium, or also continue to utilize the south baseball lot beyond the outfield fence. Please be reminded that tailgating of any sort is prohibited in the parking garage.
 
At present, Friday's doubleheader and Sunday's series finale are slated to be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network with live streaming audio available online at CatamountSports.com. Live stats for each home game are available through a link on the online baseball schedule, with in-game updates also available online through social media on Twitter using the handles, @Catamounts and @CatamountBSB.
 
After finishing as the runner-up in the 2021 SoCon Baseball Championship, the 2022 Catamounts were picked third in the SoCon's preseason coaches' poll and fourth in a tabulation of the SoCon Sports Media Association. Headlined by the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year in sophomore Pascanel Ferreras, four Catamounts earned preseason all-conference honors. Ferreras was joined by RHP Zebby Matthews and infielder Will Prater on the first team with senior Daniel Walsh earning a second-team nod.
 
All told, the Catamounts play 10 of their first 13 games this season at home including weekend series against Niagara (Feb. 18-20), Illinois State (Feb. 25-27), and Stony Brook (March 4-6).
 
Niagara finished sixth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) a year ago, finishing 17-17 as the league played a conference-only baseball schedule. The four-game season-opening road swing at WCU opens a stretch of 30-straight road games for the Purple Eagles who won't play at home at Bobo Field until mid-April of the 2022 schedule.
 
This weekend marks just the second series all-time between the Catamounts and Purple Eagles on the baseball diamond, first meeting back in the 2016 season with a pair of midweek games. WCU swept a pair of seven-inning games in the doubleheader, winning 17-4 and 10-2 while pounding out 23 hits including a combined 13 for extra bases with seven home runs.
 
Following a midweek nonconference road trip to USC Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C., on Wednesday (Feb. 23), the Catamounts return home for a three-game weekend series against Illinois State (Feb. 25-27) with game times set for 4 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. on Sunday at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Both season and single-game tickets 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. Offering the best available deals, season ticket 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. Ticketing for home games in Cullowhee will begin with the Illinois State series (Feb. 25-27).
 
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).
 

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Game 1: - Friday, Feb. 18 | 2:00 p.m.  |  Coverage: Listen LIVE  |  Live Stats
Probable Starters:
Western Carolina - RHP Zebby Matthews (2021: 6-2, 3.52 ERA, 61.1 IP, 60K, 7BB)
Niagara - LHP Jacob Bruning (2021: 3-3, 4.30 ERA, 44.0 IP, 39K, 24BB)

Game 2: - Friday, Feb. 18 | approx. 5:30 p.m.  |  Coverage: Listen LIVE  |  Live Stats
Probable Starters:
Western Carolina - LHP Eric Wallington (2021: 0-1, 6.75 ERA, 13.1 IP, 18K, 18BB)
Niagara - RHP Marcus Cashman (2021: 2-2, 5.79 ERA, 14.0 IP, 13K, 7BB)

Game 3: - Saturday, Feb. 19 | 2:00 p.m.  |  Coverage: Live Stats
Probable Starters:
Western Carolina - RHP Lucas Hartman (Freshman)
Niagara - LHP Evan Wilde

Game 4: - Sunday, Feb. 20 | 1:00 p.m.  |  Coverage: Listen LIVE  |  Live Stats
Probable Starters:
Western Carolina - RHP Gavin Mortenson (2021: 2-0, 5.82 ERA, 34.0 IP, 34K, 21BB)
Niagara - LHP Blake MacMillan (Transfer)