PREVIEW: #3 Baseball begins title defenses with four-game Florida tour

Boca Raton, Fla. —- The 3rd-ranked Catawba College baseball team kicks off its 2025 season with its annual Florida trip this weekend, with games across the Sunshine State Thursday through Sunday.

THE MATCHUPS

- Game One: #3 Catawba at #22 Nova Southeastern, NSU Baseball Complex, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Friday, Jan. 31, 6 p.m., 

- Game Two: #3 Catawba at Lynn, Boca Raton, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 1, 2 p.m.

- Game Three: #3 Catawba at Barry, Feinbloom Field, Miami Shores, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 2, 1 p.m.

- Game Four: #3 Catawba at Palm Beach Atlantic, J.M. "Jake" Rubin Park, West Palm Beach, Fla., Monday, Feb. 3, 6 p.m.

THE HISTORY

- Catawba trails NSE, 2-5

- Catawba trails Lynn, 2-5

- Catawba trails Barry, 1-2

- Series tied with Palm Beach Atlantic, 4-4

PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS (2024 statistics)

- Friday: Austin Fine (10-3, 3.78 ERA) vs. Carlos Nolasco (3-5, 5.64 ERA)

- Saturday: Payne Stolsworth (11-4, 3.63 ERA) vs. Devin Sweeney (0-5, 5.05 ERA)

- Sunday: Hayden Simmerson (3-4, 3.98 ERA) vs. Benito Valle-Jhanda (0-1, 7.50 ERA)

- Monday: Casey Gouge (6-2, 4.44 ERA) vs. Nolan Smoot (3-1, 2.22 ERA)

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

- Following Catawba's fourth Southeast Regional title since 2012, the Catawba Indians are ranked in the top five in the country in each of the recognized Division II preseason national rankings

- Catawba is slated third in the D2Baseball and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association polls; are fourth in the American Baseball Coaches of America poll

- The trio of Dylan Driver, Stolsworth and Simmerson were named Preseason All-Americans by D2Baseball

- Offensively, the club returns All-SAC selections Driver and Sam Hunter

- The club also added impact transfers in shortstop Nathan Chrismon (East Carolina), infielder James Dunlap (North Dakota State) and utility Hunter Atkins (UNC Greensboro) 

FAMILIAR FACES ON THE MOUND

- As one of Catawba's biggest strengths from its 2024 regional title team, the Catawba Indians bring back 87 percent of its innings pitched from last season

- The team's First Team All-SAC starting pitchers return, including 2024 SAC Pitcher of the Year Stolsworth; '24 SAC Freshman of the Year Simmerson looks to a move to the starting rotation

- Gouge, Cole Hales and Carson Edmiston also return as probable midweek starting options

GANTT'S CHASE FOR 1,000

- The winningest coach in SAC history eyes another big milestone in 2025 – 1,000 career victories

- Catawba's skipper stands 10 wins away from the milestone only achieved by 23 Division II coaches all-time

- If the Catawba Indians begin the season 10-2 or better, the feat will be achieved at Newman Park during the conference-opening series versus Anderson Feb. 14-15

SCOUTING THE FLORIDIANS

- The opening weekend will mark five straight Sunshine State Conference teams Catawba has faced, dating back to facing eventual national champion Tampa in the 2024 national semifinal

- Nova Southeastern finished highest among the four teams (third), but none of the four qualified for the 2024 NCAA Division II South Regional

- Catawba went 2-1 in its Florida trip a season ago, defeating Palm Beach Atlantic and Lynn before falling to Barry in the weekend finale

UP NEXT

- Following the opening Florida trip, #3 Catawba returns home to Newman Park for the first time in 2025, hosting Shippensburg for a three-game set Feb. 7-9

- The team will receive its championship rings prior to the 1 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 8