| MESA, Ariz. – Warrior Baseball opens the 2024 campaign, the sixth under coach Jake Taylor, with one of the toughest schedules in the NAIA. The action kicks off on Feb. 1 in Arizona at the East/West Challenge. Different than last season, the 2024 lineup full of returning talent across the board. Just like every season, Lewis-Clark State is on the hunt for its 20th Red Banner.
The Warriors enter the season at No. 3 in the NAIA preseason poll and the favorite to win the Cascade Conference.
LC State Baseball returns 80% of its offense from last season, highlighted by 2023 All-Cascade Conference selections Carter Booth, Nick Seamons, Dominic Signorelli and Isaiah Thomas. Charlie Updegrave also makes his return after missing the majority of the regular season due to injury.
Dallas McGill, an all-conference selection a year ago, returns to the starting rotation along with Drake George and Jace Hanson. Cameron Smith, a fifth-year senior, anchors the bullpen with returning arms Jake Green, Jantzen Lucas and Decker Stedman.
“At this point last season, we knew that we had talented players, but we’d yet to play a game,” Taylor explained. “Obviously, it took us some time to begin to learn how to play together, but finally began to mesh nearing the end of the season. This year we are fortunate to return an experienced and motivated group.”
Seamons was one of the most consistent bats in the lineup last season with a team-leading 80 hits and .346 batting average. The senior slugged .641 with 13 doubles and 17 home runs. His home run total was second to Thomas’ 20, and his 55 RBI were only behind Thomas’ 60. Thomas, who was named the Avista NAIA World Series MVP despite the loss, had a breakout postseason with six home runs in six games. He led the team in slugging at .710 and stolen bases with 12.
Thomas and Signorelli were the lone Warriors to appear in all 55 games last season. Signorelli held down the hot corner for LC and led the team in doubles (18) and triples (5). He finished the season tied with Booth for the team-lead in runs scored with 62.
Other notables returning to the lineup are Pu’ukani De Sa, Jakob Marquez and Updegrave. Updegrave swung one of the hottest bats in the postseason after missing most of the regular season. An injury sidelined the junior after the third game of the season before his return in the final series ahead of playoffs. In his 21 games, Updegrave hit .354 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI.
A question remains as to who will be the mainstay behind the plate. Marquez, Bulla Ephan and Jack Sheward have all seen time as the LC backstop and all are strong options for the Warriors.
Hanson (45.0), McGill (43.1), George (39.0) and Stedman (37.0) return the most innings as starting pitchers and Smith (30.2) returns the most time from the bullpen. McGill was an All-CCC performer last season and struck out 52 with a 4.98 ERA. Hanson fanned 44 and George tallied 29 strikeouts. Smith collected three saves last season to lead the team and carried a 3.52 ERA with 41 punchouts.
“Both the position players and pitching staff have exceptional character and excellent veteran leadership,” Taylor said. “This group has worked extremely hard and is eager to get outside and begin the 2024 season.”
The Warriors brought in a host of newcomers, highlighted by transfers Ike George (Charleston Southern), Magnum Hofstetter (Hawaii), Jake Gish (Utah), Brady Maylett (Utah), Kolby Solomon (Gonzaga) and Japan’s Hiroyuki Yamada.
Time will tell how the newcomers mesh in the lineup and on the mound, and the team will learn quickly with the one of the toughest schedules in the NAIA this season. The Warriors open the 2024 season in Arizona at the East/West Challenge with four games in three days. The Warriors open the year on Feb. 1 against No. 6 Tennessee Wesleyan and will face No. 1 Southeastern (Fla.) and No. 7 Bellevue (Neb.) on Feb. 2. The tournament wraps up on Feb. 3 against St. Thomas (Fla.) before LC heads to SoCal to take on No. 11 Hope International (Calif.), No. 17 Vanguard (Calif.) and Saint Katherine (Calif.).
“The schedule starts hot and will continue to be a grind throughout the rest of the season,” Taylor explained. “We are very fortunate to be able to travel and play other quality opponents from around the country and get an early gauge as to where we currently are. As the season progresses, our team will evolve, improve and continue to grow as a unit.”
LC State is on the road all of February and wraps up the month in Caldwell against College of Idaho in non-conference competition. The home opener is set for March 1 against UBC, who won the CCC tournament a year ago.
Cascade Conference play starts on March 15 at Corban and the Warriors host Eastern Oregon the weekend of March 23 to start home conference action.
Breaking up CCC play, LC State welcomes No. 5 LSU Shreveport (La.) to Harris Field for a four-game set starting on April 12. The regular season wraps up at home the weekend of April 27 against Bushnell.
The CCC tournament is slated for May 4-6 at the site of the regular-season champion. LC State will host the NAIA Opening Round, presented by Avista, May 13-16. The Avista NAIA World Series is set for May 24-31.
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