PHILIPPI, W.Va. — The Alderson Broaddus baseball team kicks off the 2018 season this weekend with games against Clarion and Coker on Saturday and Sunday at Coker College.
The Battlers will take on Clarion University in a pair of seven-inning games beginning at noon on Saturday before taking on the Coker Cobras on Sunday for a pair of games beginning at 11 a.m.
Live stats will be available for all games this weekend with video for the pair of games with Coker on Sunday. Links for the games are available on gobattlers.com.
On the mound, the Battlers are returning junior pitcher Zach Salmon who is expected to get the ball for the opener against the Golden Eagles on Saturday. A season ago, Salmon finished with a 4-3 record and a 3.22 ERA. Also expected to make starts this weekend include senior Mitchell Griffiths and freshman Gordon Swiger, a freshman from nearby Bridgeport, W.Va.
Other pitchers expected to see time this season and on the weekend include junior Shane Mallon, who won a pair of games on mound last season, and freshman Stephen Ault-McGhen, Dylan Rotz, and Caleb Hites among others.
Behind the plate, the Battlers are expected to have Brock Stewart and Chasen Claus behind the dish this weekend. Stewart is from Athens, Ohio while Claus comes to AB as a native of Oakdale, Pennsylvania and West Allegheny High School.
The Battler infield will include senior Kosta Kafes, who will see time at first base. Kafes joined the Battlers in the 2017 season and hit .250 a season ago with six RBI's. Aaron Valentine is also expected to see time at the first-base position. At second base will be Bryant Cabrera who will make his Battler debut in 2018.
On the right side of the infield, AB returns Taylor Cook and Tyler Amedure, both of who saw time in 2017. Cook will take over the shortstop position for the Battlers as Amedure will move from second base to third after finishing with a solid sophomore campaign in 2017. Amedure hit .320 from the plate a season ago with 10 doubles and 26 RBI's.
The Battler outfield will return two of their three starters from 2018. Chuck Hooker returns for his final season in right field after finishing second on the team with a .379 batting average in 2017. Hooker finished with 15 extra-base hits and led the team with 35 RBI's. In center field, the Battlers return Todd Sekowski, who saw the majority of the 2017 season in left field. He hit .293 at the dish last year and stole eight bases. Tylyn James is expected to get the start in left this weekend as the sophomore hit .261 with six RBI's last season.
