Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina baseball held one of its final preseason intrasquad scrimmages on Sunday afternoon, dividing into three teams to maximize on-field play as the Catamounts prepare for next weekend's 2026 season-opening series against George Washington at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium.
 
Following the scrimmage, which lasted around two and a half hours, the Catamount players welcomed over 40 area youth baseball players to the field for a station-to-station clinic that included fielding, catching, and hitting out of the on-field batting cage.
 
"I thought that both of our starting pitchers did an excellent job filling it up, making the defense play behind them. Defensively, I thought that it was one of our better days this preseason. We took a bunch of hits away, made a couple of really nice outfield plays, a few diving plays, which we like. And then we got the bats rolling a little bit, so overall, it was a good intrasquad," said WCU head coach Alan Beck following Sunday's workout.
 
Redshirt junior Shane Huntsberger and freshman LHP Evan Myers started on the mound, leading eight different hurlers to toe the rubber in Sunday's scrimmage. That duo was followed by freshmen Davis Jabaley and Ryan Perzanowski, sophomore Jacob Arnberger, junior Davis Budd, redshirt sophomore Kaden Fuller, and was capped by senior Owen Austin.
 
WCU's pitchers combined to strike out eight against 13 total freebies, including 10 walks and three HBPs. They also induced three double-plays turned by the Catamount infield. Catcher Carlos Diaz also threw out a would-be base stealer during the scrimmage, adding an RBI ground-out at the plate.
 
Offensively, the three Catamount lineups combined for five total runs scored, with Team 1 and Team 3 both posting two runs, and Team two scoring once. The bats produced a combined 13 base hits – seven by Team 1 and three apiece by the other two lineups, with four doubles and one home run.
 
Brody Raleigh paced the Catamounts, capping a strong intrasquad weekend performance with a 3-for-5 effort with a pair of singles and a solo home run to left in his second at bat. Trent Turner, who joined Raleigh in the Team 1 lineup, had a pair of hits with a double to cap WCU's multi-hit games.
 
Sophomore transfer Walker Fox, a Canton, N.C., product who played last year at Mars Hill, reached base three times on Sunday with a walk, an HBP, and a single through the right side in his final plate appearance. Another Western North Carolina product, Carson Wallace, reached twice with a walk and a double, while junior outfielder Elijah Smith walked and was hit by a pitch, adding a stolen base to his stat line. Trey Spees reached twice after a pair of hard-hit balls on flyouts to center, delivering a bases-loaded walk in his third at-bat for an RBI, and singling in his last trip.
 
Returning from an injury that sidelined him during his freshman season, redshirt freshman infielder Jaylen Jones singled and scored, while also reaching on a free pass.
 
In addition to Raleigh, Turner, Fox, and Wallace, WCU received extra-base hits from redshirt sophomore Wyatt Stanley with a double in his final trip to the dish, with freshman Dominic Robinson legging out a two-base hit to left in his last plate appearance.
 
Following the intrasquad, the field was littered with Little Catamounts joining their Diamond Cats for an over-hour-long session of baseball fundamentals and fun. It's the fourth year that Beck and his team have held the preseason free clinic following the Sunday scrimmage, coinciding with his four years back at his alma mater as the head coach.
 
"This afternoon is all about the community and giving back to Western North Carolina. We are excited to again have (the youth) back out here and have a good day, have some fun with them, and sign some autographs after," said Beck, who has two young sons of his own, Easton and Eli.
 
WCU will hold its annual Scout and Little League day on Saturday, March 21, presented by Todd Baucom Realty of Cullowhee. Additionally, each Sunday at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium is "Sunday, Run Day," with youth invited to run the bases like their Catamounts following the final game on Sunday afternoons.
 
Western Carolina baseball opens the 2026 season with seven of its first eight games to be played at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium in Cullowhee, beginning Feb. 13-15 with first-time foe George Washington University out of the Atlantic-10 Conference.
 
"I'm excited to see our guys compete against a different jersey," Beck said as his team turns its attention to the season-opener. "I'm just excited to get after it with this group and see what we're made of."
 
Both season and single-game baseball 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, and online any time at CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets. Season tickets start at just $51 for adult general admission or $26 for youth general admission. Additional seating options include reserved field-level chair-back seats and upper-reserved chair-back seats under cover beneath the press box.

Fans can also purchase the "Baseball and Bo's Flex Tickets," presented by Bojangles of Sylva. This special flexible package includes 15 general admission ticket vouchers redeemable for any home baseball game and coupons for four FREE Cajun filet biscuits from Bojangles, all for just $50.
 
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).