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Nick Mitchel

Leathernecks Open Season against Southern Indiana

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

WIU heads to Millington, Tenn. for neutral site game

Who | University of Southern Indiana
Where | Millington, TN (USA Baseball Complex)
When | Feb. 17 – 19
Social Media | Instagram & Twitter
 
Weekend Probable's
Game 1 | Feb 17 | 2 p.m.
Mitchel Sampson (2-0, 1.57 ERA in 2022) vs Roy Holcomb (6-3, 7.19 ERA in 2022)
Game 2 | Feb 18 | Noon
Jake Armstrong (0-2, 8.75 ERA in 2022 vs Trent Robinson (2-5, 7.13 ERA in 2022)
Game 3 | Feb 18 | 3 p.m.
Tyler Kapraun (2-1, 6.91 ERA in 2022) vs Tyler Hutson (2-2, 4.83 ERA in 2022)
Game 4 | Feb 19 | 11 a.m.
 TBA vs TBA
 
Interim Head Coach Tayler Sheriff and the Western Illinois Baseball team open their 2023 season against Ohio Valley opponent Southern Indiana at a neutral site in Millington, Tennessee. "It is going to be a battle. It is going to be fun," said Coach Sheriff
 
Returners | 
Western Illinois returns 14 players from its 2022 roster. Nick Mitchell, who was the only freshman to earn Summit League All-Conference honors last season, returns leading the team in batting average (.342), runs scored (28), triples (2), and stolen bases (30). Other key returners are senior shortstop Derek Botaletto and juniors Adam Juran and Jack Bell. Botaletto played in all 52 games, starting in 51 for the Leathernecks. Botaletto hit .284 last season, tallying 52 hits with six for extra bases. 
 
Adam Juran will spend his time behind the plate once again in the 2023 season. The junior from Sauk City, Wisconsin, appeared in 48 games last season for WIU. He tied the team lead with four home runs and was third on the team in RBIs with 25. Jack Bell set a school record in appearances last spring. Appearing in 31 games for Western Illinois, Bell led the team with an ERA of just over five and a WHIP of 1.45. 
 
"Those guys have been awesome." Coach Sheriff said, "They have really emerged as leaders for our team, and they continue to lead on a day in and day out process."
 
New Faces | 
WIU welcomes 18 new faces to the 2023 roster. Mitchel Sampson was named Summit League Pitcher to Watch for WIU. The junior transfers in from Heartland Community College where he posted a 1.57 ERA as a closer last season. "Mitchel is a guy we are excited to bring to our staff." Coach Sheriff said, "He is a winner and a guy who can set the tone." 
 
On the offensive side, Jake Allgeyer was an NJCAA All-American last season at Spoor River Community College. He holds the school record for most hits in a season (77), most hits in a career (118), most runs in a season (51), most doubles in a season (23), most doubles in a career (31), tied for most home runs in a season (9), most stolen bases in a season (22), highest batting average in a season (.428), and highest slugging percentage in a season (.728). J.R. Heavlin will also hope to produce numbers like he did last spring. The Hopedale, Ohio native transfers in from division two Wheeling University, where he hit over .400 and had 24 doubles.
 
Scouting USI |
University of Southern Indiana makes the transition from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I. Posting a 21-28 record in the GLVC last season, the Screaming Eagles finished fifth in their conference. This season USI is predicted to place eighth in the Ohio Valley. Catcher Lucas McNew was named to the Preseason All-OVC by the conference. McNew had a team-high 57 RBIs last spring, also blasting a team-best eight homeruns. 
 
What is Next |
After the four-game battle with Southern Indiana University, WIU will head to the lone star state. The Leathernecks are set for a clash with Texas Tech on Feb. 24-26.
 
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