BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – A new era of Gardner-Webb baseball begins this weekend as the Runnin' Bulldogs open the 2020 season by hosting Appalachian State in a three-game series beginning on Friday afternoon at Bill Masters Field at John Henry Moss Stadium.
 
Gardner-Webb enters the new season after finishing 2019 with a 25-26 overall record, including 14-13 in Big South Conference play to finish fifth in the league standings.
 
GWU will be led by new head coach Jim Chester, replacing Rusty Stroupe who retired at the conclusion of the 2019 season after 17 years in Boiling Springs.  Chester spent the last two seasons as head coach at Barton College, where he engineered the largest turnaround in all of NCAA Division II baseball last year, leading his team to a 31-20 record and earning 2019 Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year honors.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs return seven starters from last season, led by redshirt senior Eric Jones, who batted .282 on the season.  Junior Ben LaSpaluto had 14 extra base hits, including five home runs, to lead all returners from last year and was a perfect 11-of-11 in stolen base attempts.
 
Other starters returning for GWU include seniors Mitch McLendon and Ben Rowdon.
 
On the mound, seniors Landon Mitchell and Isaac Campbell return for the Diamond 'Dogs.  Mitchell, ranked 112nd among D1Baseball.com's Top 150 pitchers, posted a 3.80 ERA in 2019 with 70 strikeouts in 83.0 innings of work, while Campbell, recently ranked 12^th among the Big South's 2020 MLB Draft prospects by D1Baseball.com, finished last season with a 4.69 ERA, fanning 65 batters in 78.2 innings.
 
Junior Noah Davis, who finished last year with a 2-1 record in eight starts, also returns as a part of the weekend rotation.
 
Relievers Langdon Wilson and Luke Williamson will also return as part of the Gardner-Webb bullpen for 2020.
 
Overall, GWU returns 16 players who saw time on the field last season, and has added 16 new players, including senior transfer infielder Cam Pearcey, who joins the 'Dogs from Coastal Carolina, and freshman outfielder Carter Cunningham, named one of the Big South's impact freshmen by D1Baseball.com, as well as freshman pitcher Chase Britton, touted as the Big South's fourth-best prospect for the 2022 MLB Draft by D1Baseball.com.
 
Appalachian State enters the 2020 season after finishing with a 22-31 overall record and 13-16 in Sun Belt Conference play in 2019. 
 
Luke Drumheller is the Mountaineers' leading returner, batting .337 with 15 doubles and 37 RBI last season and was named to the 2020 Preseason All-Sun Belt team.
 
Starter Tyler Tuthill returns to the mound for App State, in which last season he had a 4.36 ERA, fanning 60 batters in 74.1 innings of work.  Reliever Andrew Papp, a preseason All-Sun Belt honoree, returns after recording six saves with a 3.38 ERA in 42.2 innings last season.
 
Gardner-Webb has taken two of the last three meetings against Appalachian State, with the two teams splitting a twinbill last season in Boone, N.C.
 
Friday's season opener is slated for a 4:00 pm start time from Bill Masters Field at John Henry Moss Stadium.  Saturday's game is scheduled for 4:00 pm, and Sunday's series finale begin at 2:00 pm.  All three games will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday, 4:00 pm – RHP Landon Mitchell (GWU) vs. LHP Tyler Tuthill (App State)
Saturday, 4:00 pm – RHP Isaac Campbell (GWU) vs. RHP Shane Roberts (App State)
Sunday, 2:00 pm – RHP Noah Davis (GWU) vs. LHP Quinton Martinez (App State)