ATLANTA – The 127th year of West Virginia University baseball begins this weekend at the Atlanta Challenge, from Feb. 15-17, with games at Kennesaw State, Georgia State and Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
Opening day is set for Friday, Feb. 15, at Kennesaw State's Stillwell Baseball Stadium. First pitch has been moved up 90 minutes to 2:30 p.m. ET, due to inclement weather expected in the area. The weekend continues at the GSU Baseball Complex against Georgia State on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m., before WVU wraps up the Atlanta Challenge at Russ Chandler Stadium at Georgia Tech on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m.
Junior right-handed pitcher Alek Manoah (3-5, 4.00 ERA in 2018) will toe the rubber on Friday afternoon for WVU against KSU senior righty Brooks Buckler (4-4, 3.31 ERA). On Saturday, sophomore left-hander Jackson Wolf (1-1, 4.07 ERA) faces GSU senior right-hander Jake Rogers (4-6, 4.92 ERA). Sunday's finale will see junior righty Kade Strowd (4-7, 5.74 ERA) square off against Tech junior lefty Connor Thomas (7-4, 3.34).
The Mountaineers return 13 of 17 position players from last year's team and seven of nine starters. On the mound, 10 of 17 pitchers are back in 2019. In total, 20 of 30 lettermen return. WVU's 36-man roster features five seniors, 11 juniors, five sophomores and 15 freshmen. With several two-way players, four are catchers, 13 are infielders, eight are outfielders and 21 are pitchers. That includes 17 right-handers and four leftys.
West Virginia is coming off a 29-27 season in 2018 and advanced to the Big 12 Championship semifinals for the third consecutive season. One of two teams to make the last three Big 12 Championship semifinals, WVU was voted to finish sixth in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Mountaineers have finished in the top four in the final Big 12 standings in three of their first six seasons in the league.
Several players have been recognized with regional or national preseason accolades. Manoah was named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List and the Baseball America Preseason All-America Second Team, while senior right fielder Darius Hill was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Additionally, junior righty Sam Kessler was recognized on the preseason watch list for the Stopper of the Year Award.
Coach Randy Mazey is in his seventh season at WVU and owns a 189-154 record. The fifth coach to eclipse the 100-win mark in program history, he is 376-314-2 in his career.
In the national rankings, Georgia Tech is ranked No. 31 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association preseason poll, while the Yellow Jackets are No. 17 according to Collegiate Baseball and receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Mountaineers and KSU are both receiving votes in Collegiate Baseball's preseason rankings.
FOLLOWING ALONG
There are a number of ways to follow along with this weekend's action in Atlanta. Direct links to video streams and live stats can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com.
SERIES HISTORY VS. KENNESAW STATE
Friday marks the first-ever meeting between Kennesaw State and WVU. The Mountaineers are 13-9 all-time against current members of the Atlantic Sun Conference following a season-opening series at Jacksonville in 2018. West Virginia posted a 5-4 win on Opening Day before JU claimed the last two contests.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
Kennesaw State went 25-30 in 2018 and 19-15 at home. The Owls finished 11-10 in Atlantic Sun play and placed third in the conference. Twenty-four players return from last season, which includes 15 returning pitchers and just four newcomers.
Entering his 28th season at KSU, Mike Sansing is the winningest coach in program history. He has led the Owls to seven national tournaments and two national titles, winning the NAIA crown in 1994 and the 1996 NCAA Division II championship. Sansing holds a 992-581 record at KSU and is 1,094-609 overall in 30 years as a head coach.
SERIES HISTORY VS. GEORGIA STATE
Saturday marks the first time WVU has faced Georgia State. The Mountaineers are 9-17 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt Conference. West Virginia's last meeting against a Sun Belt team came last season, with a 5-2 loss at Coastal Carolina.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Georgia State posted a 26-29 record in 2018 and an 18-14 mark at home. The Panthers went 10-19 in Sun Belt play and finished fifth in the league's East Division. GSU returns 19 letterwinners in 2019, including by junior right-handed pitcher Hunter Gaddis, the Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Greg Frady begins his 13th season at the helm of Georgia State and is the winningest coach in program history. He was named the Panthers' eighth head coach in 2006 and is 355-324-1 at Georgia State and 542-436-1 in 18 seasons as a head coach. Frady led the Panthers to a school-record 39 victories in 2009, capped by GSU's first conference title and NCAA Tournament berth.
SERIES HISTORY VS. GEORGIA TECH
West Virginia is 0-4 all-time against Georgia Tech, with all four meetings coming in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets claimed a pair of home wins in 1995, 11-1 and 8-2, and the two teams met again in 1999 to open the season. WVU lost the season opener, 8-2, before a 7-6 the following day.
SCOUTING YELLOW JACKETS
Georgia Tech went 31-27 and 25-10 at home in 2018. The Yellow Jackets posted a 14-16 record in ACC play and finished fourth in the conference's Atlantic Division. The team was ranked No. 31 in the NCBWA preseason poll, one of seven ACC teams to earn a spot in the preseason rankings.
Entering his 26th season with the Yellow Jackets, Danny Hall is the winningest coach in team history. He has tallied a record of 1,019-532-1 at Georgia Tech, with a career record of 1,227-649-1 in 31 seasons. Hall has led Tech to 20 NCAA Regional appearances in 25 seasons, as well as five ACC regular-season and tournament championships.
UP NEXT: AT GEORGIA STATE
The Mountaineers return to the Peach State next weekend for a three-game set at Georgia State, from Feb. 22-24. The series in Statesboro, Georgia, begins on Friday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. ET. First pitch at J.I. Clements Stadium on Saturday is set for 3 p.m., while the series concludes at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Season tickets and mini-packages for the 2019 season are on sale now. Fans can join the excitement of WVU baseball and support the Mountaineers by purchasing tickets at WVUGAME.com, calling 1-800-WVU GAME or visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum.
Opening day is set for Friday, Feb. 15, at Kennesaw State's Stillwell Baseball Stadium. First pitch has been moved up 90 minutes to 2:30 p.m. ET, due to inclement weather expected in the area. The weekend continues at the GSU Baseball Complex against Georgia State on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m., before WVU wraps up the Atlanta Challenge at Russ Chandler Stadium at Georgia Tech on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m.
Junior right-handed pitcher Alek Manoah (3-5, 4.00 ERA in 2018) will toe the rubber on Friday afternoon for WVU against KSU senior righty Brooks Buckler (4-4, 3.31 ERA). On Saturday, sophomore left-hander Jackson Wolf (1-1, 4.07 ERA) faces GSU senior right-hander Jake Rogers (4-6, 4.92 ERA). Sunday's finale will see junior righty Kade Strowd (4-7, 5.74 ERA) square off against Tech junior lefty Connor Thomas (7-4, 3.34).
The Mountaineers return 13 of 17 position players from last year's team and seven of nine starters. On the mound, 10 of 17 pitchers are back in 2019. In total, 20 of 30 lettermen return. WVU's 36-man roster features five seniors, 11 juniors, five sophomores and 15 freshmen. With several two-way players, four are catchers, 13 are infielders, eight are outfielders and 21 are pitchers. That includes 17 right-handers and four leftys.
West Virginia is coming off a 29-27 season in 2018 and advanced to the Big 12 Championship semifinals for the third consecutive season. One of two teams to make the last three Big 12 Championship semifinals, WVU was voted to finish sixth in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Mountaineers have finished in the top four in the final Big 12 standings in three of their first six seasons in the league.
Several players have been recognized with regional or national preseason accolades. Manoah was named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List and the Baseball America Preseason All-America Second Team, while senior right fielder Darius Hill was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Additionally, junior righty Sam Kessler was recognized on the preseason watch list for the Stopper of the Year Award.
Coach Randy Mazey is in his seventh season at WVU and owns a 189-154 record. The fifth coach to eclipse the 100-win mark in program history, he is 376-314-2 in his career.
In the national rankings, Georgia Tech is ranked No. 31 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association preseason poll, while the Yellow Jackets are No. 17 according to Collegiate Baseball and receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Mountaineers and KSU are both receiving votes in Collegiate Baseball's preseason rankings.
FOLLOWING ALONG
There are a number of ways to follow along with this weekend's action in Atlanta. Direct links to video streams and live stats can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com.
- Opening Day at Kennesaw State on Friday will be streamed live on KSU's Facebook page, at Facebook.com/KennesawStateOwls, and live stats can be found at Statbroadcast.com.
- On Saturday, Georgia State will have a live audio stream and stats, both available at GeorgiaStateSports.com.
- Sunday's game at Georgia Tech will be streamed via ACC Network Extra on WatchESPN, and live stats can be found at GeorgiaTech.Statbroadcast.com.
- Additional behind-the-scenes updates, news and notes can be found on social media by following and connecting with the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @WVUBaseball.
SERIES HISTORY VS. KENNESAW STATE
Friday marks the first-ever meeting between Kennesaw State and WVU. The Mountaineers are 13-9 all-time against current members of the Atlantic Sun Conference following a season-opening series at Jacksonville in 2018. West Virginia posted a 5-4 win on Opening Day before JU claimed the last two contests.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
Kennesaw State went 25-30 in 2018 and 19-15 at home. The Owls finished 11-10 in Atlantic Sun play and placed third in the conference. Twenty-four players return from last season, which includes 15 returning pitchers and just four newcomers.
Entering his 28th season at KSU, Mike Sansing is the winningest coach in program history. He has led the Owls to seven national tournaments and two national titles, winning the NAIA crown in 1994 and the 1996 NCAA Division II championship. Sansing holds a 992-581 record at KSU and is 1,094-609 overall in 30 years as a head coach.
SERIES HISTORY VS. GEORGIA STATE
Saturday marks the first time WVU has faced Georgia State. The Mountaineers are 9-17 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt Conference. West Virginia's last meeting against a Sun Belt team came last season, with a 5-2 loss at Coastal Carolina.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Georgia State posted a 26-29 record in 2018 and an 18-14 mark at home. The Panthers went 10-19 in Sun Belt play and finished fifth in the league's East Division. GSU returns 19 letterwinners in 2019, including by junior right-handed pitcher Hunter Gaddis, the Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Greg Frady begins his 13th season at the helm of Georgia State and is the winningest coach in program history. He was named the Panthers' eighth head coach in 2006 and is 355-324-1 at Georgia State and 542-436-1 in 18 seasons as a head coach. Frady led the Panthers to a school-record 39 victories in 2009, capped by GSU's first conference title and NCAA Tournament berth.
SERIES HISTORY VS. GEORGIA TECH
West Virginia is 0-4 all-time against Georgia Tech, with all four meetings coming in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets claimed a pair of home wins in 1995, 11-1 and 8-2, and the two teams met again in 1999 to open the season. WVU lost the season opener, 8-2, before a 7-6 the following day.
SCOUTING YELLOW JACKETS
Georgia Tech went 31-27 and 25-10 at home in 2018. The Yellow Jackets posted a 14-16 record in ACC play and finished fourth in the conference's Atlantic Division. The team was ranked No. 31 in the NCBWA preseason poll, one of seven ACC teams to earn a spot in the preseason rankings.
Entering his 26th season with the Yellow Jackets, Danny Hall is the winningest coach in team history. He has tallied a record of 1,019-532-1 at Georgia Tech, with a career record of 1,227-649-1 in 31 seasons. Hall has led Tech to 20 NCAA Regional appearances in 25 seasons, as well as five ACC regular-season and tournament championships.
UP NEXT: AT GEORGIA STATE
The Mountaineers return to the Peach State next weekend for a three-game set at Georgia State, from Feb. 22-24. The series in Statesboro, Georgia, begins on Friday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. ET. First pitch at J.I. Clements Stadium on Saturday is set for 3 p.m., while the series concludes at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Season tickets and mini-packages for the 2019 season are on sale now. Fans can join the excitement of WVU baseball and support the Mountaineers by purchasing tickets at WVUGAME.com, calling 1-800-WVU GAME or visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum.
