MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of Montevallo baseball team will open the 2023 season at the Houston Winter Invitational on Friday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. against Flagler at Minute Maid Park – home of the Houston Astros - in Houston, Texas.
In the opening weekend series, the Falcons will face three opponents in Flagler, No. 13 Central Missouri on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 1:30 p.m., and Arkansas Tech on Sunday, Feb. 5, at 5 p.m. The event is hosted by the University of Central Missouri and the Houston Astros along with Major League Baseball.
"This is a tremendous experience and opportunity for our guys," said Head Coach
Chandler Rose. "We really appreciate the Astros and Central Missouri for allowing us to be part of this tournament. It will be a great trip and experience that our guys will remember for the rest of their lives."
Along with the Falcons and its opponents, six total teams have been invited to open the year at Minute Maid Park including the 2022 Division-II National Champions North Greenville.
Last season, Montevallo finished the year 36-15 overall and 18-11 in Gulf South Conference action, marking the most conference wins since 2018 and the most wins overall since 2008. Heading into 2023, 13-year Head Coach
Chandler Rose returns 32 players from last year's roster, including seven players who started in at least 33 games, 11 pitchers that made at least 10 appearances, and a group of 18 seniors.
"Our experience and leadership are huge and one of the biggest strengths of our team," said Rose. "It helps tremendously to have so many guys that have been through multiple college baseball seasons and especially through the GSC grind. We have a ton of game experience that will hopefully serve us well throughout the spring."
After finishing third in the league in 2022 and falling short in the conference tournament, the Falcons have been picked to finish third in the GSC Preseason Coaches' poll this season. In the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason South Region Rankings, Montevallo is in seventh behind GSC foe Lee at three. Catcher
Jake Smallwood, third baseman
Sam Kuchinski and
Reed Latimer were each NCBWA Preseason All-South Region and Preseason GSC All-Conference selections while pitchers
Gino Cozzi and
Connor Phelan joined the trio on the GSC Preseason list. All five were GSC All-Conference selections in 2022 while the trio was each named NCBWA All-American honorable mentions. Additionally, Sophomore
Zen Hiatt returns in 2023 after ending 2022 on a strong note by being named to the GSC All-Tournament team. The Tampa, Fla. native hit .363 in the postseason with five RBI and three homers.
"We're very fortunate to have several great players back and we're going to lean on those guys heavily," added Rose. "Their leadership and the daily expectation they set for everyone in the program will be very important for us."
The returns aren't the only exciting aspect of the 2023 roster as Rose brings in a group of five freshmen and six transfers. Among the newcomers, three transfers were featured on the GSC Top Newcomers Watchlist.
Will LaFollette, a native of Chelsea, Ala. returns to Shelby County after spending three seasons at UT Martin where he is sixth all-time in career home runs with 21. In 2020 he was named to the Freshman All-American squad by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper after hitting .283 with 13 RBI in a COVID-shortened season.
Barry Eiseman, an outfielder from Palm Harbor, Fla., led Florida State College of Jacksonville with a .400 batting average in 52 games played in 2022. He also led the team with 45 RBI, totaled a team-high 70 hits, a team-best 20 doubles, and hit three homers.
Brandon Jernigan, a right-handed pitcher from Manchester, Tenn., appeared in 14 games and pitched 21 innings in relief for Jackson State Community College. He posted a 2-2 record with a pair of saves and struck out 25 batters.
In December, the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper released its top 40 Division-II teams ahead of the 2023 year with the Falcons ranked No. 36. The only other GSC program mentioned in the rankings was Lee at No. 11.
"I'm excited about the entire roster. We have a close group of guys that really care about each other," said Rose. "There's a good combination of returners and new guys. I feel like we're much deeper than we've been which created a lot more competition throughout the preseason."
The 2023 slate is a challenging one that will feature 30 GSC contests and 20 non-conference games. Montevallo will face six opponents in 2023 that advanced to the NCAA D-II Regionals in 2022. To open the year Montevallo will host Spring Hill on Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. at Kermit A. Johnson Field at Bob Reisner Stadium before hosting the Badgers again on Feb. 15 and facing the squad in a pair of road games on Mar. 28 and 29. In the final non-conference series of the year, UM will host Walsh, another tournament team from 2022, on Feb. 17, 18, and 19. Matchups with Central Missouri (Feb. 4), and Columbus State (Mar. 8 and April 26), round out the non-conference NCAA tournament teams. Additionally, the Falcons will play a three-game series on the road against reigning GSC Champion, Lee, April 7-8, and at home against Delta State, the preseason favorite, April 14-15.
"Our expectations for ourselves are always high. The guys understand how important every day and every game are, said Rose. "I want them to enjoy every day of the season and playing college baseball. My only expectation for them is to show up every day and compete to our standard."
Stay up to date with Montevallo Baseball online at montevallofalcons.com, on twitter @UMoTownBaseball and on Instagram @Montevallobaseball.
