BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Concord University baseball team has been picked to finish third in the Mountain East Conference South Division with the announcement of the MEC Preseason Coaches' Poll Wednesday afternoon.
THE POLL
| Place |
Team (First-Place Votes |
Points |
| 1. |
Charleston (9) |
54 |
| 2. |
West Virginia State |
43 |
| 3. |
Concord (2) |
39 |
| 4. |
Glenville State |
30 |
| 5. |
West Virginia Wesleyan |
19 |
| 6. |
Davis & Elkins |
11 |
MEC NORTH POLL: Frostburg State (10) - 46; Point Park (1) - 31; Wheeling - 26, Fairmont State - 23; West Liberty - 14
2024 REVIEW
Concord finished last spring with a record of 26-20, but did miss the MEC Tournament after going 16-14 in league games. The Maroon and Gray was exceptional at home with a mark of 21-8. Individually,
Zack Saryeldin and
Chris Satcher were forces in the Concord lineup, combining for 24 home runs and 106 RBI. Saryeldin was named an Honorable Mention All-American.
Andrew Neff became one of the most accomplished pitchers in program history, breaking records for career wins (31) and strikeouts (288). Neff's running mate on the mound,
Eddie Blake, also cemented his legacy last spring by finishing top 10 in all-time strikeouts (223) and wins (20).
2025 SCHEDULE
The season is just over a week away from opening up as the Mountain Lions travel to Mars Hill in North Carolina February 8-9. The home opener is the following weekend in a three-game set versus Pitt-Johnstown. Other non-conference series include a visit to Ashland (February 22-23) and home against Millersville (March 7-8). In the middle of March, the 30-game conference slate begins at Anderson Field versus Frostburg State. The first weekend of MEC South Division contests is April 5-6 when CU welcomes Davis & Elkins. The season wraps up May 4 with a home doubleheader versus Glenville State.
THE RETURNERS
Despite losing Saryeldin, Satcher and the steady bat of
Daniel Layne (.348 average, 37 RBI) from last season, plenty of production returns. Senior outfielder
Demetri Jamison went on a tear in the middle of the season on his way to finishing with a .352 average to go with three home runs, 16 doubles—top five in the MEC—and 28 RBI. Junior outfielder
Dawson Gragg batted .321 with three home runs and 28 RBI. Four-year starter
MJ Hunter sported a .301 average to go with 28 more RBI and a team-best 13 stolen bases. As Concord's closer, Hunter saved six games and had a 3.50 ERA in 18 innings. Senior infielder
Brendan Brady roped 11 doubles while starting 45 games at shortstop. Sophomore outfielder
Demario Faison hit .267 in 90 at-bats in his first season of college baseball. And after missing last year, senior outfielder
D.J. Christian Jr. returns to the CU lineup. In 2023, Christian was second on the team with a .371 average while adding 10 doubles and three triples.
Sophomore pitcher
Jake Robinson highlights the returners on the mound. In 2024, Robinson tossed 50.1 innings as he posted 46 strikeouts and had the best opponent batting average among qualified pitchers at .291. Senior pitcher
Rylee Nicholas will be forced to miss the 2025 campaign with injury. Meanwhile, Faison tossed 12 innings and sophomore
Mason Kisamore gave Concord 16 innings.
THE NEWCOMERS
Concord baseball alumni and former Bluefield State head coach Drew Bailey takes over in the dugout for Kevin Garrett, a 550-game winner as head coach. On Bailey's staff is Nathan Asher, Jacob Emerson and Kevan Lambert.
Bailey brought in several transfers, restocking the production lost on the mound and in the lineup. For starters, graduate pitcher
Zach Powell (Bluefield State) joins Bailey in coming across Mercer County. The Princeton, West Virginia native won 22 games over three years and 186.1 innings at BSU. A second familiar face to the area and Powell's former teammate is Bluefield High graduate
Kerry Collins. Over the last two years, Collins tallied 56 strikeouts in 48 innings. Another key transfer to the pitching staff is former Virginia State hurler
Joseph Hastings who averaged a strikeout per inning (130 innings, 132 strikeouts) in two years at VSU. A third graduate pitcher
Coby Ingle comes to Concord after pitching 34 innings for Western Carolina two years ago.
To supplement the offense, brothers
Matthew DiSanti and
Nick DiSanti transferred in—Matthew from Fingerlakes Community College and Nick from Mount Olive. M. DiSanti batted .333 last year in 38 games with a home run and 22 RBI. A staple in Bailey's lineup at Bluefield State was
Korbin Bostic who made the move as well to CU. Last year, Bostic hit .414 with seven extra-base hits and 17 RBI.
The following freshmen were brought in by Bailey and his staff:
Braylen Baker (Circleville, Ohio/Logan Elm),
Andrew Cortor (Forest City, N.C./Chase),
Peyton DeHaven (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va./Greenbrier East),
Dustin Johnson (South Charleston, W.Va./South Charleston),
Hayden Jones (Fairmont, W.Va./Fairmont Senior),
Brady Largent (Stephens City, Va./Sherando),
Cole Lewis (Kearneysville, W.Va./Jefferson),
Braylen Ross (Charlotte, N.C./Central Cabarrus),
Broc Taylor (Stuart, Va./Patrick County),
Hunter Thomas (Reidsville, N.C./Rockingham County),
Ryan Thompson (Frederick, Md./St. Maria Goretti) and
JT Thompson (Christiansburg, Va./Christiansburg),
Â
Â
