Blue Hose Nation sends its diamondmen off to the Big South Baseball Tournament this morning (May 22) with a send-off at the Elton Pollock Baseball Complex.
Presbyterian College enters the tournament as the #1 seed, having earned the regular season championship.
“It means the world to have our family out here seeing us off,” Coach Pollock said. ‘For the players and coaches to go out and represent PC with everything we’ve got. I’ve dedicated my whole life to being blue, True Blue, to make sure we do things the right way. We want to represent you all, and represent the community with everything we’ve got and, hopefully, come back with a tournament championship number two (Blue Hose women’s basketball also earned a tournament championship and an NCAA Division I Tournament berth this year).
“For those of you who pray, I know God cares about baseball. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support.”
On Wednesday, Pollock was named Big South Baseball's Coach of the Year.
The Blue Hose are 29-25 overall and 18-6 in the Big South Conference for the 2024 spring season. PC starts play at 1 p.m. Thursday against Charleston Southern.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The 2024 Big South Conference Baseball Championship bracket was released by the league office following the final games of the 2024 regular season on Saturday. The Blue Hose earned the number one seed for the first time in the program's history and are set to face off against the fourth-seeded Charleston Southern Buccaneers as the first game of the tournament on Thursday, May 23 at 1:00 p.m. at Truist Point in High Point, N.C.
Presbyterian (29-25, BSC: 18-6) earned the number one seed following seven straight conference wins to end the regular season. The Blue and Garnet look to take down the Charleston Southern Buccaneers once again after sweeping them in their three-game series earlier this month.
The High Point Panthers will take the second seed with their 17-7 Big South Conference record while USC Upstate finished the regular season with a 16-8 conference record to earn the three seed. Charleston Southern rounds out the bracket as the fourth seed with their 12-12 conference record.
The upcoming tournament will include double elimination games starting with each team playing one game on Thursday. Friday's games will eliminate the first two teams before Saturday holds the top two teams on championship day.
On Thursday we will see action first between No. 1 Presbyterian and No. 4 Charleston Southern at 1:00 p.m. followed by a battle between No. 2 High Point and No. 3 USC Upstate at 5:00 p.m.
Friday will begin with a game between the teams who lost on Thursday, ending with the first team elimination of the tournament. The next game will be between the two winners of Thursday's games, sending one of those teams to Saturday's championship day. Friday's last game will be between the winner of the two teams who lost on Thursday and the loser of the two teams who won on Thursday. This game will showcase two teams who have a 1-1 tournament record, sending the loser home and the winner to championship day.
Saturday's championship day will be between the team who went 3-0 against a team who went 2-1 after games held on Thursday and Friday. If the undefeated team wins this game they will be crowned Big South Champions, while if the other team wins both teams will be 3-1 and it will come down to one final game.
Thursday, May 23 (Games 1-2); TV: ESPN+ - TICKETS
Game 1 – No. 1 Presbyterian vs. No. 4 Charleston Southern, 1:00pm
Game 2 – No. 2 High Point vs. No. 3 USC Upstate, 5:00pm
Friday, May 24 (Games 3-5); TV: ESPN+ - TICKETS
Game 3 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 11:00am (elimination game)
Game 4 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 3:00pm
Game 5 - Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 7:00pm (elimination game)
Saturday, May 25 - (Championship Day); TV: ESPN+ - TICKETS
Game 6 - Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 12:00pm
Game 7 - **If Necessary: same teams from Game 6, 4:00pm
Junior starting pitcher Daniel Eagen and junior outfielder Joel Dragoo of the Presbyterian College Blue Hose baseball team are prominent figures in the Big South Conference, thanks to their outstanding weekly performances. After last week's conference series sweep over Asheville, Eagen was named Big South Starting Pitcher of the Week for the sixth time, while Dragoo has earned the title of Big South Player of the Week for the fourth time this season.
In a triumphant finish to their regular season, the Presbyterian College Blue Hose baseball team achieved a significant milestone by sweeping the UNC Asheville Bulldogs. This impressive series sweep was their fourth in conference play this season, and brought them to seven straight conference wins to help secure Presbyterian's first-ever Big South regular season championship.
DANIEL EAGEN – STARTING PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Eagen started on the mound for the Blue Hose in their first game against UNC Asheville. He earned the win after 8.2 innings of pitching with a perfect ERA and no runs allowed. The Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina native held batters to a .037 batting average after allowing just one hit in the top of the ninth inning. He finished the day with just one hit allowed while throwing nine strikeouts and just two walks.
This season, Eagen has been a cornerstone of the Blue Hose's success. Starting on the mound in 13 games, Eagen pitched a total of 70.2 innings, leading the Big South Conference with an impressive 2.55 ERA, which also ranked him among the top 15 pitchers in the country. Eagen's 112 strikeouts this season not only set an all-time record for Presbyterian College but also placed him at the top of the Big South and within the top 10 pitchers nationally. Additionally, Eagen held batters to a .172 average, allowing only 43 hits and 20 earned runs. His exceptional performance earned him a 6-1 record and a .98 WHIP.
JOEL DRAGOO – CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dragoo, starting in all three games for Presbyterian last week, stepped up to bat 10 times, recording five hits and achieving an impressive .500 batting average. He also tallied four runs, seven RBIs, five walks, and a .688 on-base percentage. His slugging percentage was a remarkable 1.000, highlighted by two doubles and a home run.
Throughout the season, Dragoo has been a consistent force. Starting in all 54 games, the Beckville, Texas native topped the conference leaderboards with a .413 batting average (tied for ninth in the country), .810 slugging percentage, .518 on-base percentage, and seven sacrifice flies. He also finished the regular season second in the conference for his 78 hits, 65 RBIs, 20 doubles, and 42 walks. Dragoo's record-breaking season saw him surpass many notable names in Presbyterian history, setting new DI single-season records for home runs (17) and RBIs (65). Additionally, he scored 57 runs, hit two triples, and successfully stole 11 of 13 bases. In center field, he maintained a .993 fielding percentage with 139 putouts and five assists on 145 chances.
Senior outfielder Jay Wetherington of the Presbyterian College Blue Hose baseball team has been named this week's Adidas/Game One PC Student-Athlete of the Week. This recognition comes after his standout performance in the team's final regular-season series against the UNC Asheville Bulldogs.
Wetherington's effort was instrumental in the Blue Hose's three-game sweep over the Bulldogs, a triumph that clinched Presbyterian's first-ever Big South regular season championship. Over the series, Wetherington stepped up to bat 11 times, securing five hits for an impressive .455 batting average. He led the team by crossing home plate seven times, including three runs in the team's 6-3 victory in game two. Additionally, he drove in three RBIs and maintained a .455 slugging percentage. His on-base percentage was an exceptional .625, thanks to his five walks.
Throughout the season, Wetherington was a consistent presence on the field, appearing in 52 games with 48 starts. In his 185 plate appearances, he recorded 50 hits, resulting in a .270 batting average. His offensive contributions included eight doubles, one triple, and two home runs, leading to a .357 slugging percentage. He tallied 24 RBIs, highlighted by a crucial two-RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning against USC Upstate, which secured a 10-9 victory.
Wetherington's speed on the bases was also noteworthy. He tied for sixth in the league with 16 stolen bases and led with nine sacrifice bunts. He concluded the regular season with 17 walks and a .343 on-base percentage. His 47th career stolen base set a new record for the most stolen bases in Presbyterian's Division I history.
The Presbyterian College athletic department partnered with Game One on a multi-year apparel agreement in November of 2022 as an official team dealer for Adidas. The partnership extended the university's alliance with Adidas which began in 2015 to outfit the Blue Hose athletic programs.
Game One is among the largest and fastest-growing sports equipment and apparel suppliers in the country, serving a loyal customer base of 13,000 schools and organizations in 38 states.
Presbyterian's Adidas / Game One Student-Athlete of the Week
September 11, 2023 – Tyler Wesley, Football
September 18, 2023 – Kasey Battle, Volleyball
September 27, 2023 – Damorney Hutchinson, Men's Soccer
October 3, 2023 – Sophia Del Valle, Volleyball
October 10, 2023 – Lina-Marie Müller, Women's Soccer
October 16, 2023 – Alex Herriott, Football
October 24, 2023 – Jack Wofford, Men's Golf
October 31, 2023 – Keyli Gomez, Women's Cross Country
November 7, 2023 – Henlee Haynes, Women's Wrestling
November 14, 2023 - Samage Teel, Men's Basketball
November 21, 2023 – Caleb Francis, Football
November 28, 2023 – Ashley Carrilo, Women's Basketball
December 4, 2023 – Jonah Pierce, Men's Basketball
December 13, 2023 – Cassia Zammit, Women's Wrestling
January 8, 2024 – Tilda Sjökvist, Women's Basketball
January 15, 2024 – Rey Ortiz, Men's Wrestling
January 22, 2024 – Natalie Herrin, Women's Basketball
February 5, 2024 – Marquis Barnett, Men's Basketball
February 12, 2024 – Claire Giddings, Women's Tennis
February 21, 2024 – Ryan Ouzts, Baseball
February 26, 2024 – Abby Katz, Acrobatics & Tumbling
March 4, 2024 – Sarah Boteler, Women's Golf
March 12, 2024 - Madeline Kubicki, Women's Wrestling
March 20, 2024 - Mathilde Delaney, Women's Tennis
March 26, 2024 - Kayleigh Aitken, Lacrosse
April 1, 2024 - Peyton Duncan, Softball
April 9, 2024 – Charlie McDaniel, Baseball
April 16, 2024 – Evgenios Vasilakis, Men's Tennis
April 23, 2024 - Columb Knight, Men's Golf
April 30, 2024 - Abby Edmisten, Lacrosse
May 7, 2024 – Mallory Fletcher, Softball
May 13, 2024 – Noah Lebron, Baseball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ahead of the highly anticipated 2024 Big South Baseball Championship, the league office has released their annual postseason awards. The three most prestigious awards were given to Presbyterian as Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, and Coach of the Year were all earned by the team for the first time in program history. These awards were released by the Big South Conference on Wednesday morning and include 10 awards given to seven different Presbyterian team members.
Joel Dragoo
Big South Player of the Year
First Team All-Conference
Starting in all 54 games for PC, Dragoo topped the conference leaderboards with a .413 batting average (tied for ninth in the country), .810 slugging percentage, .518 on-base percentage, and seven sacrifice flies. He finished second in hits (78), RBIs (65), doubles (20), and walks (42).
His record-breaking season included new DI single-season program records for home runs (17) and RBIs (65). Additionally, Dragoo scored 57 runs, hit two triples, and succeeded in 11 of 13 stolen base attempts. During the second half of the season, Dragoo went on an impressive 22-game hit streak, which included sweeps over Radford, Winthrop, and Charleston Southern. In center field, he achieved a .993 fielding percentage with 139 putouts and five assists on 145 chances.
In conference play, the junior batted .398 with 35 hits. He recorded 26 runs, 25 RBIs, 19 walks, 10 doubles, and six home runs. His on-base percentage was .505, and he succeeded in seven of his nine stolen base attempts.
Throughout the 2024 season, the Big South Conference recognized Dragoo four separate times with weekly accolades. These honors not only showcased Dragoo's consistency and drive but also highlighted his dedication and hard work behind the scenes.
Daniel Eagen
Big South Pitcher of the Year
First Team All-Conference
Eagen started 13 games for the Blue Hose, pitching a total of 70.2 innings. His impressive 2.55 ERA led the Big South Conference and ranked him among the top 15 pitchers nationally. Eagen also set a new PC record with 112 strikeouts, leading the conference and ranking in the top 10 nationally. He held batters to a .172 average, allowed just 43 hits and 20 earned runs, and achieved a 6-1 record with a 0.98 WHIP.
Eagen had many standout performances, including a 14-strikeout game in a 4-2 win over Radford, marking his career high and the most strikeouts in a single game by a Presbyterian pitcher. In the team's series opener against UNC Asheville, Eagen didn't give up a hit until the top of the ninth inning, leading to the team's highest-scoring shutout in DI history with a final score of 17-0.
Eagen started in eight conference games this season, pitching 47.1 innings. During this time, he recorded a 5-1 record with a 2.66 ERA. He also threw 76 strikeouts while holding batters to a .160 average, allowing just 26 hits and 14 earned runs.
His six Big South Player of the Week awards are the most that any player in program history has seen not only in one season but all-time. His recognition from the conference put his effort in focus and showed the fans how good of a player he really is.
Elton Pollock
Big South Coach of the Year
Coach Pollock was named Big South Coach of the Year for the first time in his career after leading his team through a remarkable season. Many of his players broke program records, including his own third-place single-season home run record set in 1995, which was broken by Joel Dragoo earlier this season.
He led the team to a 29-25 record with 18 conference wins, resulting in the program's first Big South regular-season championship title. In Big South Conference series, the team swept four opponents: Radford, Winthrop, Charleston Southern, and UNC Asheville.
Under Coach Pollock's guidance, not only these award-winning players but every player on the roster has grown to become a better athlete, student, and person overall.
Charlie McDaniel
First Team All-Conference
All-Academic Team
McDaniel started 14 games for the Blue Hose this season, earning a 7-1 record over 86.1 innings on the mound. His 53rd career start against Charleston Southern earlier this season made McDaniel Presbyterian's all-time leader in career starts. He recorded a 3.44 ERA, ranking third-best in the Big South. He ranked fourth in the conference with 83 strikeouts, fifth in batting average against (.242), and eighth in earned runs allowed (33). He tied for second in the league with seven wins, recorded a 1.14 WHIP, and had five outings with at least seven strikeouts.
Against conference opponents, McDaniel tallied a 5-1 record with a 4.30 ERA. He held opponents to a .264 average, allowing just 25 earned runs and striking out 44 batters with only 11 walks.
Brody Fahr
First Team All-Conference
Fahr started 53 games in his senior season, tallying 64 hits over 197 at-bats for a .325 batting average. He led the team with 58 runs, tying for second in the Big South. His .457 slugging percentage included 18 extra-base hits: 12 doubles, four triples (tied for second in the conference), and two home runs. Fahr added 39 RBIs, 30 walks, a .419 on-base percentage, four sacrifice flies, two sacrifice bunts, and went 4-for-5 in stolen bases. As the team's go-to shortstop, he had a .966 fielding percentage with 73 putouts, 125 assists, and was part of 18 double plays.
Against Big South opponents, Fahr improved his batting average to .330, recording 31 hits, 29 runs, 18 RBIs, and 44 total bases. He also tallied nine extra-base hits, a .468 slugging percentage, 14 walks, and a .423 on-base percentage.
Fahr opened the season with a nine-game hit streak, collecting 19 hits on 32 at-bats. He later matched this streak towards the end of the season, helping the team beat USC Upstate twice and sweep Charleston Southern.
Jackson Hugus
Second Team All-Conference
Hugus played in 45 games, starting 39 as a catcher. He posted a .295 batting average over 122 at-bats with 36 hits, 23 runs, and 27 RBIs. His .475 slugging percentage included five home runs, the second most on the team, and seven doubles. Hugus also had 22 walks, a .436 on-base percentage, two sacrifice flies, and a perfect 1-for-1 in stolen bases. Defensively, he achieved a .994 fielding percentage from 360 chances, with 326 putouts, 32 assists, and six runners caught stealing.
His .311 batting average, 19 hits, and 18 RBIs against conference opponents made him one of the best offensive players in the Big South. He also recorded 14 runs and 10 extra-base hits, including four home runs. Hugus achieved a .462 on-base percentage with 12 walks.
Jake Randolph
Second Team All-Conference
Randolph played in 33 games, starting 25. He finished the season with a .307 batting average, 27 hits, 22 runs, 20 RBIs, and 41 total bases. He had a .466 slugging percentage with five doubles and three home runs, 10 walks, a .392 on-base percentage, a sacrifice fly, and one stolen base.
While competing against conference teams, Randolph excelled with a .358 batting average, 19 hits, 18 runs, 14 RBIs, and six extra-base hits, including two home runs. He also recorded a .547 slugging percentage, six walks, and a .426 on-base percentage.
