BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University baseball team looks forward to another season, following an Ohio Athletic Conference only schedule last season. The Yellow Jackets finished 23-16-1 and fell in the OAC Tournament Quarterfinals to conclude the 2021 campaign.
Head Coach Brian Harrison enters his 12th season at the helm and will look to surge back to the top of the OAC. BW will carry a veteran roster this year, returning 11 seniors and 20 juniors.
One of the highlighting seniors is All-American shortstop Alex Ludwick (Brunswick/Padua Franciscan) as he led the team last year, hitting .434 and totaling 43 RBIs, 14 doubles, four triples, eight homeruns, and 10 stolen bases. Ludwick is a three-time All-OAC selection and was recently selected as a D3Baseball.com Preseason All-American. Another returning senior is All-OAC utility player Drew Wilson (Sagamore Hills/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy). Wilson hit .372 last season and posted 35 RBIs and 17 doubles. On the mound, Wilson pitched 43 innings, tallied 50 strikeouts, and earned three saves. BW also welcomes back junior infielder Chris Viamonte (Naples, Fla./Lely) who the 2021 Gold Glove team award winner, hit .287, and totaled 17 RBIs and eight doubles. Junior All-OAC Luke Vonderhaar (New Bremen) will also returning after he batted .342 last season with 27 RBIs, nine doubles, and four homeruns.
BW will return a talented group of pitchers back to the mound this season including sophomore Gordon Seger (Rome/Grand Valley), junior Dawson Gabe (Lawrence, Ind.), sophomore Brendon Hink (Poland/Neshannock, Pa.), sophomore Kyle Maruna (Medina), senior Scott Kirchhoff (Toledo/Sylvania Northview), senior Maxwell Cebulak (Oakmont, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic), junior Ethan Boyko (North Royalton), and senior Garret McLeod (Medina). Gabe led the group in innings pitched with 43.2, totaled 60 strikeouts, and held his opponents to a .203 batting average. Seger earned a 3-1 record, finished the year with a 3.54 ERA, and posted 25 strikeouts.
Transfers being welcomed to BW are senior pitcher Steve Spidell (Mount Eaton/Waynedale), junior pitcher Aidan Bennett (Naples, Fla., Barron Collier), junior outfielder/first baseman Spencer Crane (Parma/St. Edward), and sophomore Mark Mohnickey Jr. (North Ridgeville/St. Edward).
Other senior leadership coming back to the roster this year is last year's starter catcher JT Mazula (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills), outfielder Bijan Kamalipour (Frisco, Texas/Jesuit College Preparatory School), pitcher Clay Anderson (Broadview Heights/Trinity), utility player Kevin McSweeney (Seven Hills/Trinity), and pitcher/third baseman Brandon Skory (Parma/Valley Forge). Back from a year off due to injury, pitcher Garrett Miller (McMurray) will return for his senior campaign as well.
Junior returners include outfielder Vincent Capolupo (Kenmore, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate), outfielder/first baseman Bryce Holt (Richfield/Revere), utility player DJ Doria (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier), pitcher Matt Sabin (Mentor), outfielder Andrew Parker (Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic), infielder Ryan Guggenheim (Solon), pitcher Nik Baldis (Wexford, Pa./North Alleghany), outfielder Nick Stoltz (Geneva), catcher Cooper Harestad (Vandalia/Butler), outfielder Tanner Conklin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum), first baseman Carl Pennington (Wadsworth), outfielder Adam Yako (Olmsted Falls), utility player Matt Zembo (Palm Desert, Calif.), pitcher Justin Sekerak (Avon Lake/St. Ignatius), pitcher Jake Zappia (East Amherst, N.Y./Williamsville East), and infielder Ozzie Campbell (Ashtabula/Lakeside).
Coming off their freshman campaign, catcher/outfielder Mitch Macy (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights), pitcher Drew Schaly (Ashland), pitcher Anthony Monaco III (Struthers), pitcher Gabe Hayek (Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institure), pitcher Weston Lorenz (Milford Center/Fairbanks), and pitcher Trevor Leighty (Wooster) will reinstate for their 2022 sophomore season. Joining the roster after not playing last year is sophomore pitcher Lincoln Earl (Howell, Mich.).
A new talented group of freshmen include pitcher Seve Cantini (Roaming Shores/Jefferson Area), infielder Sean Kolenich (Parma/St. Edward), pitcher/catcher Kade Swisher (Berea-Berea Midpark), pitcher/infielder Noah English (Perrysburg), pitcher Brady Compton (Berea-Berea Midpark), pitcher Dylan Snyder (Stow/Archbishop Hoban), first baseman Quinn McCoy (Steubenville), catcher Eric Coode (Painesville/Mentor), infielder Gavin Gonzalez (Miami Springs, Fla./Florida Christian), pitcher/first baseman James Catherine (Tallmadge), pitcher Lino Valletta (Chesterland/West Geauga), and infielder Mason Decker (Middelburg Heights/Berea-Midpark).
The Yellow Jackets start their season on Saturday, February 19 as they host La Roche (Pa.) University for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch of the first game is set for 11:15 a.m. on Fisher Field.