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Baseball Team
Mark Duffel

Baseball Written by James Tsitakis-Cecil

CSUB Baseball Hosts St. Thomas for 2023 Opening Weekend

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Cal State Bakersfield baseball team opens the 2023 season at home this weekend as it welcomes St. Thomas for a four-game series Friday through Sunday at Hardt Field. First pitch for Friday's opener will begin at 6:05 p.m.

This Weekend's Schedule:
  • vs St. Thomas
    • Fri. 17, 6:05 p.m.
    • Sat. 18, 1:05 p.m. / 4:05 p.m. (Double-Header)
    • Sun. 19, 1:05 p.m.
`Runner Notes
  • CSUB is helmed by head coach Jeremy Beard who enters his seventh season in 2023, which puts him neck-and-neck with WAC championship-winning former CSUB head coach Bill Kernan for most years active as the team's skipper.
  • The `Runners return some veterans and key players this year, with Nick Salas, AJ Miller, Davonte Butler, James Bell, Angel Saldivar, and Ryan Verdugo all coming back to help strengthen the team.
  • After hitting 12 homers last season, the top single-season mark in CSUB's D1 history, AJ Miller will be chasing the school's career home runs leader, who has 29. Graduate student Devonte Butler, entering his sixth year in the program, will be trying to move up in the record books for career appearances.
  • The `Runners will greatly be looking forward to facility improvements after Cal State Bakersfield Athletics shared the vision and plans for the recently-announced $1.5 million dollar donation to the Roadrunner Baseball program. The generous gift was made by Bakersfield home builder and philanthropist Thomas Hardt, who has stepped up to the plate once again to enhance the fan experience at Hardt Field, home of CSUB Baseball.
  • CSUB will be looking to improve on last season, with a 18-34 overall record while posting 11-19 in the Big West. On last year's opening day, the `Runnesr took a 5-4 win overall Oakland University and will be looking to take inspiration from that to begin 2023 on the right foot.
Scouting the Tommies
  • St. Thomas (0-0, 0-0 Summit League) is led by 14th-year head coach Chris Olean.
  • The 2023 season marks just the second year the Tommies will be playing NCAA Division I baseball. Prior to 2022, St. Thomas was a mainstay powerhouse of Division III, averaging more than 30 wins per season in Olean's 20 seasons coaching, capping its DIII era with a conference championship and finishing as the national runner-up, posting a 37-10 record.
  • Being that St. Thomas are new to the DI scene, the Tommies have never encountered the `Runners in baseball. Cal State Bakersfield will be the first of two California opponents the Tommies play this year, with facing Sacramento State on the road the week after.
  • St. Thomas posted a 16-29 overall record last season, with a 10-14 record during its first year in the Summit League, causing the Tommies to be picked for fifth place in the conference preseason coaches' poll.
  • As part of their conference preseason preview, two Tommies were recognized for honors. Standout sophomore outfielder Ben Vujovich was picked as a preseason All-Conference Team member, while true freshman infielder Dylan O'Connell received Preseason Freshman of the Year for the Summit League.
How to Follow the `Runners  
Season ticket plans and individual game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased on GoRunners.com/Tickets or by calling 661.654.BLUE or 661.654.GOLD.
 
~GoRunners.com~
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Players Mentioned

James Bell

#19 James Bell

C/OF
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
AJ Miller

#10 AJ Miller

OF/1B
6' 2"
Senior
L/L
Nick Salas

#11 Nick Salas

INF
5' 9"
Junior
R/R
Angel Saldivar

#18 Angel Saldivar

C
5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
Ryan Verdugo

#46 Ryan Verdugo

RHP
6' 2"
Sophomore
R/R

Players Mentioned

James Bell

#19 James Bell

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
C/OF
AJ Miller

#10 AJ Miller

6' 2"
Senior
L/L
OF/1B
Nick Salas

#11 Nick Salas

5' 9"
Junior
R/R
INF
Angel Saldivar

#18 Angel Saldivar

5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
C
Ryan Verdugo

#46 Ryan Verdugo

6' 2"
Sophomore
R/R
RHP
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