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Blevins back to lead pitching staff

Bryce Blevins headlines the HerdÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ™s pitching staff as a preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection. He was a four-time SBC pitcher of the week in 2024, with a team-leading 3.45 ERA.

In 15 appearances, Blevins had two complete games, one being a shutout. He punched 71 strikeouts and relented 85 hits in 86 innings of work.

Blevins projects as the ace, but the Herd also returns six more pitchers, for a total of seven of the 14 who had appearances last year.

Nicholas Weyrich tossed a 3.95 ERA in a team-leading 22 appearances. He fanned 62 batters, including nine against Arkansas State last March. He allowed 27 runs in 54 2/3 innings. Weyrich has been primarily a relief piece in recent seasons, starting just once last season.

Alex McKay and Griffin Miller combined for 39 appearances last season. Miller started in three games and had 37 strikeouts. McKay had 31 Ks in relief.

Charlie Krebs, Eddie Leon and Bauer Burkart return innings from last year. Each had an average of five appearances and combined for 18 2/3 frames.

Marshall loses three of its four double-digit starters ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” Drew Harlow, Chad Heiner and Carter Lyles ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” but the quartet of Blevins, Weyrich, McKay and Miller were the best pitchers by ERA for the Herd last season.

Bring the boom

The Herd returns its top hitter from 2024, Cam Harthan, as a junior. The outfielder hit .325 in 169 at-bats, starting in 42 of his 46 appearances.

Harthan provides consistency. He had a .384 on-base percentage in 2024 and stole 17 bases on 20 attempts. He had six three-hit games and showed that he can provide the spark at leadoff. He also did not have an error last season in the field.

AJ Havrilla has the next-highest returning average at .238. The sophomore infielder had 50 starts in 52 appearances. He had 10 multi-hit games in 2024 and recorded 41 hits, nine doubles and 19 RBIs. He committed nine errors for a .943 fielding percentage.

Senior Elijah Vogelsong returns as a powerful outfield bat after 47 starts in 52 games in 2024. He had 35 hits and was the team leader in home runs with nine. He also led the Herd with 29 RBIs and did it in 158 at-bats, the fewest among players who started in 40 or more games.

He homered twice with five RBIs against James Madison.

Marshall also brings back Jack Smith (six starts), Ethan Murdoch (16 starts) and Eddie Leon (11 starts).

Brand-new bison

Marshall added 12 newcomers ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” six Division I transfers, five junior college players and a freshman.

Perhaps the most exciting name is Nolan Wilson, a Nevada transfer at catcher.

The senior started in all 48 games he played in last season and batted .323. He had 65 hits, second on the Wolf Pack, with seven home runs, 20 doubles and 50 RBIs.

He finished a home run shy of the cycle in the season finale for Nevada last season ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” going 4 for 6 with six RBIs.

ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœWith the departure of Owen Ayers, the catching position was very critical to us,ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ� Beals said of Wilson in a preseason media release. ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœThroughout the recruiting process, Nolan clearly became our No. 1 prospect. A proven hitter, Nolan is going to complement our program while he grows and prospers in our culture.ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ�

Also among those players is Joel Gardner, a Hurricane native. In high school, Gardner was a two-time first-team all-state selection for the Redskins and hit .440 with six homers as a senior.

He initially signed with WVU before moving to the NJCAA ranks. In 2024, his redshirt sophomore season at Cleveland Community College, Gardner played in 42 games. He held a .319 batting average with 43 hits. He had 47 RBIs, 43 runs, 13 doubles, a triple and six home runs.

ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœJoel is a local guy, and I want to win the recruiting battles in our backyard,ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ� Beals said. ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœHe brings a left-handed bat, and a high-end, hand-eye skill set that I enjoy coaching.ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ�

Tim Baird transfers in as a right-handed grad pitcher from Ohio State. In his senior season, he had six appearances and struck out four batters in 2 1/3 innings. He missed all but one game as a junior with injury.

In 2022, he was a bullpen piece that struck out 25 batters in 20 1/3 innings, allowing 19 earned runs for a 2-1 record.

ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœWe scored Tim in the transfer portal from Ohio State,ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ� Beals said. ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœTim and I have spent time together before, and I am excited that he is healthy, and we have this opportunity to chase the high ceiling that we know is in there.ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ�

Another piece of familiarity comes in new lefty pitcher Blaine Albright. The redshirt freshman transferred from Indiana following his first season.

ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœA physical left-handed pitcher that I have recruited before,ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ� Beals said of Albright. ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœHe brings physicality and pitch ability to our pitching staff. I look forward to seeing his player development.ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ�

Jackson Halter, a senior outfielder, serves as a bit of Sun Belt juice from Louisiana. He played in 18 games as a reserve for the RaginÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ™ Cajuns last season and made six starts. He was formerly a junior college prospect at Seminole State College. There, he hit .333 in 90 games with 16 home runs. He exited high school as the No. 23-ranked catcher in Texas.

ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœJackson is a playerÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ™s player. A no-nonsense competitor that brings it every day,ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ� Beals said. ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬœHis left-handed bat and athleticism in the outfield will make an immediate impact in our lineup and program.ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ�

Belt to grass

Marshall was chosen to finish 12th in the SBC preseason coaches poll. Beals said in the release that that means nothing to the Herd.

The preseason poll is as follows, with first-place votes in parentheses:

1. Southern Miss ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 179 (5)
2. Troy ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 178 (4)
3. Louisiana ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 174 (3)
4. Coastal Carolina ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 161 (2)
5. Georgia Southern ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 125
6. James Madison ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 106
7. Old Dominion ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 105
8. Texas State ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 102
9. Appalachian State ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 94
10. South Alabama ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 93
11. Georgia State ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 49
12. Marshall ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 46
13. Louisiana-Monroe ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 34
14. Arkansas State ÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ” 24

Coastal Carolina catcher Caden Bodine was named the preseason player of the year, while Chase Morgan earned preseason pitcher of the year honors for Louisiana.

Bodine was the SBC Freshman of the Year in 2023 and was part of the NCAA Clemson All-Regional Team in 2024. Morgan was the SBC Freshman of the Year in 2024.

Southern Miss is the two-time defending SBC champion and was one of four programs to reach the NCAA tournament last year. The others were Coastal Carolina, James Madison and Louisiana.

WhoÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ™s on first?

MarshallÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ™s season begins on Friday with a four-game series at Hawaii. ItÈËÑýÉ«ÇéƬ™s the first time that the Herd and the Rainbow Warriors have played.

The Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone is five hours behind Eastern time, so the first game of the series begins at 11:35 p.m. Huntington time on Friday. Marshall has 6:05 p.m. (Eastern time) matchups on both Saturday and Sunday.

The Herd then goes to Atlanta for a series with Georgia Tech.

On Feb. 28, the Herd will host Fairleigh Dickinson at Jack Cook Field at 3 p.m. in the home opener. It will play three games with the Knights before Ohio comes to town on March 4.