Baseball Adds Seven Student-Athletes For Upcoming Season
December 03, 2024 | Baseball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Head coach Jim Chester and the Gardner-Webb University baseball team announces the addition of seven athletes to the Runnin' Bulldogs squad for the upcoming 2025 season.
Matthew Stuart
High School – Chelmsford High School
Position – Right-handed Pitcher
Parents – Keith and Fiona Stuart
Siblings – Lindsay, Eli, and Caleb
High School Accolades – 4-year starter for Varsity, 2023 League Most Valuable Player, 2024 Preseason All-State
Significant Season Statistics – Carried a 1.06 earned run average in 2023 before posting a 1.63 ERA in 2024, struck out 54 batters in 39 innings pitched in 2024
Trey Graydon
High School – Riverside High School
Position – Pitcher
Parents – Alina and Jamey Graydon
Siblings – Alexandra and Noah
High School Accolades – 3-year starter on Varsity, named to the 2nd Team All-Region and All-District in 2024
Significant Season Statistics – Posted a 2.6 earned run average in 2023, 8.75 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio in 30 innings pitched, struck out 34 batters in 22 innings in 2024 while carrying a 1.1 WHIP
Colby Putnam
High School – Burns High School
Position – Pitcher and Shortstop
Parents – Robbie and Jennifer Putnam
Siblings – Dalton
High School Accolades – Led the Bulldogs to the 2A State Championship in 2023, Earned Piedmont Player of the Year while being named to the 2023-2024 All-State Team
Significant Season Statistics – All-around player at BHS, hit .378 in 2022 and .387 in 2023, finished the '23 season with a 1.3 ERA to go along with 123k strikeouts in 80 innings pitched, followed that up with a 2024 season that saw a remarkable .495 average at the dish and minuscule 0.63 ERA while punching out 136 batters in 81 innings
Ty Butler
High School – Beaver High School
Position – Pitcher and Center Field
Parents – Matt and Pam Butler
Siblings – Sawyer
High School Accolades – 4-year Varsity starter, 2024 All-Conference
Significant Season Statistics –
Nick Russo
High School – Weddington High School
Position – Right-Handed Pitcher
Parents – Mark and Jamie Russo
Siblings – Olivia and Reagan
High School Accolades –
Significant Season Statistics – Carried a 3.03 earned run average
J.D. Mace
High School – Burlington Christian Academy
Position – Righthanded Pitcher
Parents – Jerry and Teena Mace
Siblings –
High School Accolades – 4-year Varsity starter, 3x All-Conference Selection, Named to the All-State Team, Earned Player of the Year honors, Team Captain and MVP
Significant Season Statistics – Carried a 2.34 earned run average with 195 strikeouts as a pitcher from 2022-2024, during the 2024 season he batted .500 with 39 hits, including five homeruns
Holden Murcer
High School – Lake Highlands High School
Position – Catcher
Parents – Todd and Lynne Murcer
Siblings – Jackson and Ava
High School Accolades – 2023 7-6a Second Team All-District, 3-year Varsity starter, 2023 PG All-Tournament Team
Significant Season Statistics – Batted .364 with a .543 on-base percentage in 2023
Gardner-Webb will kick off the 2025 season February 14-16 with a four-game set against St. Bonaventure.
Matthew Stuart
High School – Chelmsford High School
Position – Right-handed Pitcher
Parents – Keith and Fiona Stuart
Siblings – Lindsay, Eli, and Caleb
High School Accolades – 4-year starter for Varsity, 2023 League Most Valuable Player, 2024 Preseason All-State
Significant Season Statistics – Carried a 1.06 earned run average in 2023 before posting a 1.63 ERA in 2024, struck out 54 batters in 39 innings pitched in 2024
Trey Graydon
High School – Riverside High School
Position – Pitcher
Parents – Alina and Jamey Graydon
Siblings – Alexandra and Noah
High School Accolades – 3-year starter on Varsity, named to the 2nd Team All-Region and All-District in 2024
Significant Season Statistics – Posted a 2.6 earned run average in 2023, 8.75 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio in 30 innings pitched, struck out 34 batters in 22 innings in 2024 while carrying a 1.1 WHIP
Colby Putnam
High School – Burns High School
Position – Pitcher and Shortstop
Parents – Robbie and Jennifer Putnam
Siblings – Dalton
High School Accolades – Led the Bulldogs to the 2A State Championship in 2023, Earned Piedmont Player of the Year while being named to the 2023-2024 All-State Team
Significant Season Statistics – All-around player at BHS, hit .378 in 2022 and .387 in 2023, finished the '23 season with a 1.3 ERA to go along with 123k strikeouts in 80 innings pitched, followed that up with a 2024 season that saw a remarkable .495 average at the dish and minuscule 0.63 ERA while punching out 136 batters in 81 innings
Ty Butler
High School – Beaver High School
Position – Pitcher and Center Field
Parents – Matt and Pam Butler
Siblings – Sawyer
High School Accolades – 4-year Varsity starter, 2024 All-Conference
Significant Season Statistics –
Nick Russo
High School – Weddington High School
Position – Right-Handed Pitcher
Parents – Mark and Jamie Russo
Siblings – Olivia and Reagan
High School Accolades –
Significant Season Statistics – Carried a 3.03 earned run average
J.D. Mace
High School – Burlington Christian Academy
Position – Righthanded Pitcher
Parents – Jerry and Teena Mace
Siblings –
High School Accolades – 4-year Varsity starter, 3x All-Conference Selection, Named to the All-State Team, Earned Player of the Year honors, Team Captain and MVP
Significant Season Statistics – Carried a 2.34 earned run average with 195 strikeouts as a pitcher from 2022-2024, during the 2024 season he batted .500 with 39 hits, including five homeruns
Holden Murcer
High School – Lake Highlands High School
Position – Catcher
Parents – Todd and Lynne Murcer
Siblings – Jackson and Ava
High School Accolades – 2023 7-6a Second Team All-District, 3-year Varsity starter, 2023 PG All-Tournament Team
Significant Season Statistics – Batted .364 with a .543 on-base percentage in 2023
Gardner-Webb will kick off the 2025 season February 14-16 with a four-game set against St. Bonaventure.
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