ANDERSON, S.C. – On the heels of one of one of the most successful seasons in program history, the Anderson University baseball team is on the cusp of yet another stellar campaign, with the Trojans looking to compete among the top tier of teams in the South Atlantic Conference and in the ruggedly competitive southeast region, which has produced the last two NCAA Division II national champions.

When the Black and Gold hits the Memorial Stadium diamond early next month for a three-game series against Bluefield State, AU will begin its quest for a return to the postseason for the first time since the 2019 campaign.

AU head coach P.J. Zocchi, who is entering his fourth season at the helm of the program, believes he has laid the foundation for success and has at least some of the pieces in place to achieve the team's goals.

"We have a good number of returning players that have competed at a high level and helped give us a push last year." said Zocchi. "I'm excited about that group of returners. They're hungry – I think hungrier than last year. We lost some close games, but we were able to compete in a lot of games. And we have guys who have come in and accepted the challenge, especially on the mound."

While Zocchi faces the unenviable task of replacing a pair of position players, including left fielder Jaxon Young and all-conference honoree, Nick Vella, who was arguably one of the most prolific hitters in program history, the roster features 33 upperclassmen, including 26 returning letterwinners in addition to a trio who redshirted, and will be bolstered by 16 newcomers, including eight who already have collegiate experience under their belt.

"It's tough when you lose your best hitter and another guy that had a significant role in the lineup," added Zocchi. "But I think we've brought in the pieces that can help right away. We have guys who can execute and produce for the team. On the mound, we pitched better in the fall than the previous two years and we have more variation and more depth coming out of the bullpen. Every role will need to be earned this year because we have options on who to go to at different times. I like our guys and I like the competition (for playing time) right now. Guys are pushing each other."

Last year's squad got off to the program's best start in more than two decades and kept its' postseason hopes alive into the final weekend of the regular season and while bidding for the program's first winning season since the 2003 campaign. The Trojans broke even with a 23-23 record a year ago and became the first squad to reach at least .500 since the 2003 team went 31-22 and also recorded the program's most wins since the 2018 squad posted 25 victories.

Offensively, the Trojans return nearly three-quarters of their firepower from a year ago, with six of their top nine hitters back for another season.

If the old adage "strong up the middle" defensively holds true, the Trojans have the foundation for success this season, with six veteran position players returning to the projected lineup up the middle, as well as at the hot corner and in right field. Additionally, the pitching staff includes a bevy of experienced arms with the return of seven hurlers - including three starting pitchers - who accounted for all but one of AU's wins a season ago, along with the team's top reliever (Jackson Herring), who notched a team-high four saves.

INFIELD
"If we started (the season) today, we'd go with the guys who've been there because they've earned it." noted Zocchi.

Junior Kevin Sosa saw action in 17 games, while starting nine last season, including five at third base, two at second, and a pair of games in left field, while reaching base safely during an eight-game stretch during the season. Brandon Gibbs, a 5-foot-8 sophomore infielder, is also returning after redshirting last season.

First Base
Zocchi will be seeking to replace Vella, who graduated following last season after seeing action in exactly 100 games over the previous three seasons, including 37 at first base a year ago.

Heading into Opening Day, one of the leading candidates to fill the void defensively is veteran Jordan Montgomery, a grad transfer who played for Southern Wesleyan a season ago. The Cary, N.C., native hit .235 for the Warriors, while seeing action in 39 games and drawing a starting nod in 33 contests. He recorded seven doubles, a pair of home runs and drove in 19 runs.

Another newcomer battling for the starting position at first base is Gray Wells, a freshman from Chapin, S.C., who was a four-year letterwinner and earned 5A All-Region honors while competing for the Eagles.

Second Base
Junior JC LeGrand returns for his second campaign at second base with the Black and Gold, after drawing a starting nod in all 46 games last season, including 43 contests at the spot a year ago. The Lugoff, S.C., native posted a .274 batting average last season, with 10 doubles, two triples and 30 runs scored. LeGrand hammered five home runs on the season, including three in a doubleheader at then-defending national champion Wingate in early March. He notched 12 multiple-hit games including a three-hit game at Augusta in mid-April.

Third Base
Another junior, Brayden Owens, started 39 games a year ago, including 36 at third base after seeing action at first base as a freshman during the 2021 campaign. A native of Easley, Owens batted .284 last season while hitting in the middle of the order. He recorded a dozen multi-hit games and notched five multi-RBI games.

Shortstop
Kye Andress, a junior from Hendersonville, N.C., who hit leadoff most of last season and posted a .298 batting average, drew a starting nod in 43 games at shortstop and a pair of contests as the designated hitter last season.

He was fifth on the team with seven doubles, three triples and two home runs, while also posting 15 multi-hit games.

Catcher
Led by senior Carlos Hernandez, the roster features a trio of veterans who have seen time behind the plate over the last three campaigns.

Hernandez started 45 games last season, including 34 behind the plate and 11 as the DH, while capturing Third-Team All-South Atlantic Conference accolades in his first season with the Black and Gold. He was second on the squad with a .327 batting average, second with 12 doubles, and ranked second on the team with 46 RBI, while tying for the team-lead with six home runs on the season.

The native of Maracay, Venezuela, posted a 12-game hitting streak from mid- February to mid-March and drove in five runs in the opening game of a doubleheader at Mars Hill in late March.

The Trojans will also look to redshirt-sophomore Anthony Pandolfi and senior Ryan Brash behind the plate to help anchor the defense.

Pandolfi saw action in 15 games, while starting 12 as a catcher a year ago. Brash started a combined 30 games as a catcher during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, while leading the pitching staff with a 2.92 ERA in 10 relief appearances last season.

OUTFIELD
"(Justin) Fox and (Jackson (Van Ness) have had the most at-bats," said Zocchi. "A lot of guys are in the mix (for playing time). There's a lot of competition for spots in the outfield. And I like our freshman class. We brought in have a very athletic freshman class."

Returning for his third season with the Trojans and his second campaign in center field will be Concord, N.C., native Justin Fox, while junior Jackson Van Ness will patrol right field.

The versatile Fox was one of only two players to start every game last season – all in centerfield – after spending the 2021 campaign on the left side of the infield. He was third on the team with a .316 batting average and recorded eight doubles, a pair of triples and had one home run. Fox was second on the team with 18 multiple-hit games including five games with three hits, and led the team on the basepaths by going 13-for-15 in stolen bases.

Van Ness played in 40 games a year ago, while starting 37 in right field. The Yorba Linda, Calif., native hit .248 on the season, with 29 hits. He recorded 15 RBI and scored 24 runs, including a season-high two against Belmont Abbey in mid-April and was fourth on the team with nine doubles.

Ten other players – evenly split between returners and newcomers – are expected to be vying for the starting left field position and for playing time around the diamond.

Junior James Hanvey, who played in 27 games a season ago and split 21 starts between third base, left field and as the DH, hit .216 on the season, had a five-game hitting streak in mid-February and finished the season with three doubles and two triples, while posting 10 RBI including a season-high two on two occasions.

Sophomore Shane Thomas saw action in 19 games while starting nine, including four in right field and five as the designated hitter, last season. The Blythewood, S.C., native batted .297 on the season in 37 at-bats, while posting a .417 on-base percentage. Another junior, Jacob Peake, played in four games a season ago while starting two – one in left field and one as the designated hitter. He had a double in three at-bats on the season, with the double coming against Bluefield State in early February.

Senior Luke Poole saw action in 16 contests, while starting six, including two in left field and four as the designated hitter and wrapped up the season with a .258 batting average. The Greenwood native recorded a double, a triple and drove in four runs, including three at Augusta in mid-April, while notching a pair of home runs and five walks on the season. Another senior, Colin Belvin, from Huntersville, N.C. saw limited action a season ago.

Five newcomers – including five true freshmen – will also battle for playing time. Carson Jones a redshirt-junior who transferred from Francis Marion, has the edge in experience after playing two seasons for the Patriots. He saw action in 17 games in 2021 with 12 starts (four in left field and eight at DH) and was 2-for-3 with bases loaded and went 3-for-5 at the plate as a pinch hitter.

Mac Ketchin, a true freshman, is expected to see time both in the outfield, as well as a right-handed hurler on the mound. He recorded a .368 batting average as a senior, with two home runs for Wando High School and Head Coach Dirk Thomas. He scored the second-most runs in a single season, while earning 5A All-Region 7 accolades and earned a spot in the North/South All-Star game.

Braeden Harrison, Cannon Dorsey and Clark Hubbard are all true freshmen looking to earn playing time. Harrison was named the Region 2-AAAAA Player of the Year and earned Team MVP honors following a sensational senior season at Dorman High School. The Spartanburg native posted a .470 career batting average, with 12 doubles, three triples and nine career home runs during his prep career. Dorsey earned All-Region honors in both football and baseball at the Hammond School in Columbia, with Hubbard, who is also listed as a right-handed pitcher, captured All-Region honors and was named a Named a North/South All-Star.

Pitchers
Zocchi has assembled an array of pitchers for work on the mound this season, with 25 hurlers listed on the roster.

Heading into Opening Day, the pitching staff features 18 upperclassmen, including six seniors and a grad student, who have battled their way through fall camp and the early spring vying for time on the mound. The roll call also shows 14 returners on the staff.

"We are ahead of where we were last year," added Zocchi, "We are returning a lot of the starting staff from last year. We also brought players in from junior colleges and couple of true freshmen that we expect will pitch right away. They earned it in the fall. It comes down to competing and in-game experience."

More than a half-dozen returning pitchers accounted for 22 wins a season ago, including Jackson Herring, who added a team-high four saves to his resume last year.

Sophomore Walker Noland led the pitching staff with six victories last season, while earning SAC Pitcher of the Week accolades in early February. He made 14 appearances, including 11 starts and fanned 62 batters while issuing just 25 walks. Noland went at least 6.1 innings three times and struck out a season-high eight batters on three occasions.

Left-hander Joseph Cottone returns for his third season on the mound, after going 5-2 in 2022. The Bethpage, N.Y., native recorded a 4.21 ERA in 16 appearances including four in relief. He tossed a team-high 72.2 innings and struck out a team-high 80 batters, while going at least 5.0 innings in nine games and was also named SAC Pitcher of the Week during the season.

Another left-handed senior, Andrew Imperatore, made 15 appearances on the mound, including 12 starts a year ago. He worked five innings on at least three occasions and tossed into the seventh inning against Carson Newman in late April. Imperatore struck out a season-high eight batters against Bluefield State, while fanning seven against both Limestone and Clarion.

Veteran Trey Princiotto earned three wins last season, including two in relief, while tossing more than 36 innings on the season. The senior from Horseheads, N.Y., allowed 30 runs (25 earned) on 47 hits, while issuing 20 walks and striking out 42 batters. Herring also captured three victories – all in relief - in his first season with the Trojans. He walked just six batters while striking out 21 in more than 20 innings of work on the mound.

Senior hurler Nathan Ledford has made 23 appearances over the last three seasons, including 19 in relief a season ago. He collected a win over Clarion and added a save in a mid-April win at Queens, while striking out 33 batters, including a season-high six against Clarion and added five K's at Wingate in early March. Junior Alexander Maurer made eight relief appearances last season and collected wins over Bluefield State and Limestone.

Among the newcomers in the pitching corps, junior Graham Brown fanned 58 batters in 41.2 innings for Cleveland Community College last season. Nathan Sanders, a grad transfer from Brevard posted a 5-1 record on the mound for the Tornados, while striking out 53 batters over 46.1 innings and notching a 3.88 ERA a season ago. Mac Ketchin tossed 36 innings as a pitcher at Wando High School last year, while recording a 5-1 record and fanned 36 batters. Junior Austin Mann, a transfer from Niagara County Community College, averaged nearly eight strikeouts a game last season, while limiting opponents to a .165 batting average and posted a 2.11 ERA.

SCHEDULE
AU's 50-game schedule is tilted in favor of contests at Anderson Memorial Stadium, with the Trojans scheduled to play 29 home games. The slate also includes 24 grueling conference games, with the Trojans also squaring off against Limestone in a three-game series that will not be league contests.

Anderson will begin the season in the spacious confines of Memorial Stadium for the 11th time in 13 years, with a seven-game homestand on the docket and will play 16 of its first 20 games in the Electric City.

A trio of three first-time opponents highlights the February slate, while the overall schedule includes three opponents each from Conference Carolinas and the Peach Belt Conference, a twinbill against Lincoln (Pa.) from the East Coast Conference, and a three-game series with Felician (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference), along with the second three-game series in two seasons against Bluefield State.

The 2023 South Atlantic Conference Baseball Championship is set to begin with opening rounds at campus sites around the league, April 28-30, with the championship series slated for May 7-8, at Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Tenn.

"I expect to be better than we were last year," sad Zocchi. "We want to be consistent. It's all about being consistent. We added some pieces last year and some more this year. If those pieces fill in like I think they can, who knows what can happen. But it's a different year – every team should be different statistically."