UAH vs. Maryville
Feb. 7 - Charger Park - 1 p.m. (DH)
Feb. 8 - Charger Park - 1 p.m.
Live Stats

READY TO GO: Fresh off a Gulf South Conference Championship in the 2014 season, the Chargers are set for the 19th season of collegiate baseball at UAH beginning this weekend as Maryville visits Charger Park for a three-game set. A doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday opens the 2015 slate of games, with the series finale scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
IN THE POLLS: The Chargers received some national attention leading up to the season, as the squad ranks No. 9 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, No. 10 by Perfect Game and No. 24 by D2 Baseball News. The NCBWA also tabbed UAH as the second ranked team in the South Region behind consensus No. 1 Tampa.
 
ROTATION TURNOVER: Senior Tyler Howell – who earned preseason All-GSC and All-South Region nods – headlines the returners to the weekend rotation for the 2015 season, following the losses of departed seniors Drew Eiland (9-1, 1.92 ERA) and Alex Aultman (10-4, 2.84 ERA). However, fifth-year head coach Hunter Royer has stocked the top end of the staff with transfers Daniel Koger (Auburn) and Chris Kilpatrick (Snead State). Koger, a Huntsville native, compiled a 3.87 ERA over 146.1 innings with the Tigers and was named Alabama's Mr. Baseball in 2011 while at Huntsville High School.
 
WEALTH IN THE FIELD: Several position players return to the diamond for UAH including 2014 All-GSC honorees in seniors Chandler Brock and Brandon Lawing who combined for 24 doubles and 74 RBI last season. The Chargers offense also includes Ryan Barnes (.363, 20 RBI), Cody Burton (.329, .451 OBP), and Austin Sanders (.310, 20 RBI) returning for the 2015 campaign.
 
OUT OF THE 'PEN: Senior Luke Mould will return to the back end of coach Royer's bullpen following a team-high eight saves last season, which included a 2.78 ERA over 32.1 innings pitched and 19 appearances. Mitchell Wright (20.1 IP, 4.87 ERA), Logan Crook (10.1 IP, 0.87 ERA), and Charlie Weaver (6.1 IP, 2.84 ERA) round out the returners to the bullpen.
 
RECENT OPENINGS: The Chargers have gone 4-1 on opening day over the past three seasons, with the most recent opener being a doubleheader sweep of Kentucky State (Feb. 1) last season by scores of 18-0 and 8-1.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Blue and White's first midweek action will be on Tuesday at Tuskegee, before coming home next weekend to open the GSC slate with a three-game series scheduled against West Georgia.
 
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the first time in program history UAH has competed against Maryville.
 
SAINTS PROFILE: Maryville went 19-30 overall in the 2014 season and 14-22 within the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Saints offense is headlined by junior outfielder Sean Murphy who batted .335 with a team-high 23 RBI last year, while the pitching staff has one returner in Tyler Omlid who posted a 4.70 ERA over a team-best 61.1 innings pitched. Maryville batted .251 as a team last year and the pitching staff had a 4.57 overall ERA.