Cullowhee, N.C. – After five straight games away from home including four neutral field matchups, Western Carolina baseball returns to the friendly confines of Childress Field / Hennon Stadium this weekend by hosting the Radford Highlanders out of the Big South Conference for a three-game nonconference series.
UPDATE (3/17/23 - 9:30 a.m.): Friday's game one has been postponed due to weather; the teams will now play a pair of nine-inning games in a Saturday doubleheader beginning at Noon with the series finale scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday (
subject to change).
Each game of the three-game series is slated to be broadcast on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required) with live stats available online through CatamountSports.com. In-game scores and any additional weather-related schedule updates are also available on social media through Twitter using the handle @CatamountBSB.
Western Carolina (6-11) returns home where it last swept Eastern Kentucky in Cullowhee back on March 4-5. WCU has lost four of its last five games overall on the year with three of those coming against Power Five conference programs with the four losses by a combined 11 runs. During that same stretch, the Catamounts dropped a pair of one-run affairs including a 6-5 loss on a walk-off inside-the-park home run against Michigan State and missed multiple opportunities late as the rally fell short in a 6-5 defeat at the hands of Davidson in the midweek.
The Catamounts are batting .266 as a squad with 151 base knocks including 24 doubles, four triples, and 18 home runs. WCU has averaged right at six runs per game over its first 17 contests while surrendering an average of 7.3 per game on a .273 opponent batting average.
Radford (7-11) has lost two straight overall entering the weekend, falling to Rider in the midweek, 5-3, at home after dropping the series finale at VMI, 17-7. Despite the loss to the Keydets, Radford won the series over its Commonwealth foe with two one-run wins, 9-8 in Radford and 7-6 in Lexington. The Highlanders have lost five of their six road games on the season.
Collectively as a team, Radford is batting .270 with 148 base hits including 35 doubles, five triples, and 11 home runs. With 96 runs total, the Highlanders average 5.6 runs per game while surrendering an average of 8.2 per game on a .292 batting average against and have allowed 14 home runs.
Coming off a 15-33 season a year ago, the Highlanders were picked 10th in the 10-team Big South preseason poll.
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).
Western Carolina vs. Radford - Series History:
WCU and Radford have met just five times previously on the baseball diamond dating back to 1991 with the Catamounts carrying a 4-1 series lead into the weekend. The Catamounts swept the three meetings held in Cullowhee in February 1991 with the two teams splitting the most two recent matchups in Radford, Va. The series has lain dormant, however, since March 1992.
Common Coaches:
This weekend's series has a pair of programs guided by first-year head coaches who have returned home to their respective alma maters.
A three-time All-Southern Conference selection and the 2003 SoCon Player of the Year,
Alan Beck is a 2004 graduate of WCU. He hit .341 with 60 doubles, 45 home runs, and 222 career RBI, ranking among WCU's career leaders in those statistical categories. Beck is the 11th head coach in WCU baseball history.
Radford first-year head coach Alex Guerra played two seasons at Radford after beginning his career at Greensboro College. He batted .311 with 94 RBI as an infielder, hitting 11 home runs across his junior and senior seasons. Guerra returned as the seventh head coach in Radford baseball history.
Familiar Face in WCU-Radford Match-Up:
Western Carolina's first-year volunteer assistant coach
JD Mundy has experience with the Radford program, spending two seasons with the Highlanders after opening his collegiate career at Virginia Tech. A native of Roanoke, Va., Mundy was the Big South Preseason Player of the Year in 2020 after a first-team All-Big South selection in 2019. He was batting .385 with six doubles, four home runs, and 19 RBI over the first 17 games of the COVID-19-shortened season in 2020.
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 (6-11) vs. Radford (7-10)
Game 1: Saturday, March 18 | Noon |
Tickets |
Coverage: ESPN+ |
LiveStats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
RAD – Fr. RHP Dylan Howard (1-1, 5.89 ERA; 18.1 IP, 23K, 6BB)
WCU – Soph. RHP Matt
Schepel (1-1, 3.79 ERA; 19.0 IP, 21K, 2BB)
Game 2: Saturday, March 18 | Approx. 3:30 pm |
Tickets |
Coverage: ESPN+ |
LiveStats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
RAD – Sr. LHP Luke VonGoedert (1-0, 2.45 ERA; 14.2 IP, 20K, 7BB)
WCU – Jr. LHP
Kyle Riesselmann (1-1, 5.19 ERA; 17.1 IP, 18K, 4BB)
Game 1: Sunday, March 19 | 1:00 pm |
Tickets |
Coverage: ESPN+ |
LiveStats
Projected Pitching Match-up:
RAD – TBA
WCU – TBA
