Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina baseball continues its home-heavy February schedule this weekend, returning to the friendly confines of Childress Field / Hennon Stadium for a three-game nonconference series against the Xavier Musketeers out of the BIG EAST Conference.
Friday's game time has been bumped up to Noon in an attempt to avoid unfavorable evening weather forecasts. The series is scheduled to continue Saturday at 2 p.m. with first pitch of Sunday's finale at 1 p.m. (
subject to additional changes based on weather).
Friday's opener and Sunday's series finale are scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required) with live stats through CatamountSports.com available for each game.
Western Carolina (2-3) is coming off a 3-0 loss at Presbyterian on Wednesday afternoon in the first road game of the 2023 season after splitting its four-game, season-opening series against Akron. The Catamounts swept a Saturday doubleheader, scoring the first victories under first-year head coach
Alan Beck.
Junior
Pascanel Ferreras leads four starters above the .300 batting threshold with a team-best .421 average five games into the year. The Stone Mountain, Ga., native has a team-best eight hits including a pair of doubles.
Kyle Harbison (.333),
Drew Needham (.313), and
Jordan Starkes (.300) are all also batting over .300 to start the season with Needham leading the squad with five RBI.
Three of the starters from WCU's opening-weekend series against Akron are slated into the projected pitching lineup this weekend. Sophomore RHP
Matt Schepel (1-0), who earned the first victory of the season in game one of last Saturday's twin bill, is Friday's projected starter with southpaw
Kyle Riesselmann (0-0) slated to start on Saturday. WCU's opening day starter, RHP
Jonathan Todd (0-0) moves to Sunday this weekend in the starting role.
WCU's pitching staff enters the weekend with a 3.86 ERA and a .221 batting average against.
Xavier (0-5) is winless through its first five games of the season – but all five games have come against nationally-ranked opponents. The Musketeers dropped four at No. 20 Oregon including a pair of two-run losses and falling in the season-opener by just one run, 3-2, in a game they led through five complete. Xavier led the series finale 1-0 through five innings before the Ducks scored three runs between the seventh and eighth innings to secure the series sweep.
The Musketeers come to Cullowhee after a 12-8 midweek loss at No. 4 Louisville on Wednesday in a game they led 8-5 at the seventh-inning stretch. Xavier had a season-best 15 base hits including four home runs in the loss to the Cardinals.
After posting a 33-27 record a season ago, Xavier was picked to finish third in the preseason BIG EAST coaches poll behind both UConn and Creighton. Graduate student infielder Jack Housinger was tagged as the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year with senior outfielder Garrett Schultz and senior RHP Luke Bell joining him on the preseason All-BIG EAST team.
WCU and Xavier have played six times previously with WCU taking 2-of-3 in the series a year ago including one at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio and splitting the two played on Xavier's campus in Cincinnati. Ferreras (6-for-12) and
Zach Ketterman (.429) were among the offensive leaders for WCU in the series win with Ketterman tripling twice in the three-game set.
The Catamounts lead the all-time series against Xavier, 4-2, including taking 2-of-3 in the only other meetings held in Cullowhee back in the 2007 season.
After this weekend's three-game set, WCU travels to Gardner-Webb in the midweek on Wednesday, March 1 before hosting Eastern Kentucky March 3-5 in Cullowhee.
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).
Game Day Reminders for Childress Field / Hennon Stadium:
- Fans must purchase a ticket to gain admission into the stadium seating and surrounding areas;
- WCU Athletics continues to adhere to a clear bag policy for all home athletics events. Only standard clear bags, 12-inches by 6-inches by 12-inches in size, small purses approximately 4.5-inches by 5-inches not including the strap, and clear gallon-size storage bags are permitted. Diaper bags (child must be present upon entry) and any medical-related bags will be allowed;
- Fans are reminded that in accordance with stadium policies, no pets, umbrellas, coolers, or outside food and beverages are allowed within the stadium;
- This weekend marks the first games at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium where alcohol will be available for purchase through Catamount Dining concessions. Selections of beer, wine, and hard seltzers will be available for purchase – patrons must be 21 years of age with a legal ID and a limit of one beverage per transaction;
- Free game day parking for games in Cullowhee is available in the baseball parking deck behind the grandstand seating area, or beyond the outfield fence utilizing the access road that skirts the stadium to the left.
2023 Catamount Baseball – Western Carolina (2-3) vs. Xavier (0-5)
Game 1: Friday, Feb. 24 | Noon |
Coverage: ESPN+ | Live Stats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
WCU – RHP
Matt Schepel (1-0, 1.80 ERA; 5.0 IP, 6K, 0BB)
Xavier – RHP Ethan Bosacker (0-0, 1.29 ERA; 7.0 IP, 6K, 1BB)
Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 25 | 2 p.m. |
Coverage: Live Stats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
WCU – LHP
Kyle Riesselmann (0-0, 0.00 ERA; 5.0 IP, 7K, 1BB)
Xavier – LHP Brant Alazaus (0-1, 24.30 ERA; 3.1 IP, 4K, 1BB)
Game 3: Sunday, Feb. 26 | 1 p.m. |
Coverage: ESPN+ | Live Stats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
WCU – RHP
Jonathan Todd (0-0, 7.20 ERA; 5.0 IP, 4K, 1BB)
Xavier – RHP Nick Boyle (0-0, 0.00 ERA; 4.2 IP, 5K, 5BB)
* Weekend schedule subject to change
