BOILING SPRINGS – Head coach Jim Chester will begin his third season at the helm of the Gardner-Webb baseball program on Friday, as the Diamond 'Dogs host the 2022 Jerry Bryson Classic.

The tournament includes Bellarmine (Atlantic Sun Conference), 2022 NCAA Regional participant NJIT (America East Conference) and No. 5 Virginia (ACC). Bellarmine and Virginia play in Friday's opening game at 1:00 pm. Gardner-Webb will host NJIT at 5:00 pm on Opening Day.

Chester's squad is stocked with a host of new faces, with as many as five or six newcomers in the starting lineup this weekend. Talented sluggers Curtis Robison (Penn State), Daegan Brady (Neosho CC), Alec Burns (West Virginia) and Trevor Mattson (Arcadia) will be part of a group of transfers tasked with replacing the run production of a veteran core that graduated after last season's big run through Big South Conference play.

Gardner-Webb also added speed and sensational defense with slick-fielding shortstop Alex Ray (Louisiana Tech), who started 59 games for an NCAA Regional team in 2021 and batted a combined .282 during his career with the Bulldogs of Ruston, La.

Returning letterwinners Bo Rusher III, AJ Jones, Benino Mendella and Nate Anderson will also provide a spark for the Diamond 'Dogs, with Rusher expected to share time behind the plate with transfer Humberto Torres (Florida International). Defensive whiz Jacob Marcos also returns as a key cog in the outfield and Peter Capobianco is a power bat with the potential to break into the lineup early and often.

Gardner-Webb's pitching staff got a major infusion of talent from a strong recruiting class.

Junior college transfer Drew Janssen (Frontier CC) will start on Friday against NJIT and the Antwerp, Belgium, junior will be the first man from his country to play NCAA Division I baseball. The 5-10, 185 righty works with a strong mid-90s fastball that tops out at 96 mph.

Graduate transfer Joe Simeone (UConn) will start against No. 5 VIrginia on Saturday. The Groton, Mass., native made 50 appearances during his time in Storrs, including a start last season against the Cavaliers. Simeone worked 4.1 innings in that no decision, with the Huskies winning the game in the late innings.

Returning sophomore Bobby Alcock will pitch against Bellarmine Saturday night and is entering a highly-anticipated 2022 campaign. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound righthander has continued to improve and boasts a fastball that he's run up to 97 mph. Alcock made 15 appearances last season as a freshman and had his longest outing of the year in the Big South Conference Tournament vs. Presbyterian.

The fourth starter this weekend for Gardner-Webb will be 6-foot-4, 215-pound southpaw Tyler Switalski – a true freshman with high upside. The Waynesburg, Pa., rookie was one of the top prep pitchers in the Keystone State last year and – along with each of his rotation mates – has an effective fastball that reaches into the 90s.

The bullpen has plenty of power as well. North Dakota State transfer Gabe Pilla and veteran lefty Kyle Skidmore will eat up the late innings and sophomore Lenny Washington is another power arm who has the potential to make a very big impact as a reliever early this season.

Full Jerry Bryson Classic Schedule
February 18
#5 Virginia vs. Bellarmine – 1:00 PM
Gardner-Webb vs. NJIT – 5:00 PM

February 19
Bellarmine vs. NJIT – 11:00 AM
Gardner-Webb vs. #5 Virginia – 3:00 PM
Gardner-Webb vs. Bellarmine – 7:00 PM

February 20
#5 VIrginia vs. NJIT – 11:00 AM
Gardner-Webb vs. Bellarmine – 3:00 PM