The Chattanooga State baseball team is scheduled to begin its 12th season under coach Greg Dennis today with a doubleheader at Georgia Perimeter. The Tigers were fourth in the TCCAA last year with a 26-17 record and return seven sophomores, including pitchers Brennan Swindoll, Zach Thompson and Andy Clay. Left-hander Swindoll went 7-4 in 2014 with 48 strikeouts and a 4.10 earned run average for 74 2/3 innings, and Thompson was 6-4 with 63 strikeouts and a 2.90 ERA in 77 2/3 innings. Both of them pitched nearly every weekend in conference series, so they've been in the big games. Clay was 2-2 with six saves and a 2.16 ERA and batted .284 with 10 stolen bases in 10 tries, and Dennis plans to use him again as a closer on the mound and a lineup opener at the plate. Also returning are catchers Juan Paul Rodriguez, who hit .422 with 13 RBIs in 22 games, and Chaz Vesser, who batted .333 with four appearances; first baseman Michael Goss, who batted .387 with 12 extra-base hits and 20 RBIs in 36 games; and outfielder Ben Young, who hit .324 in 15 games. Transfer JoJo Underwood is being counted on to play third base and provide power in the heart of the lineup, and left-handed batter Ari Fabian is another transfer expected to help the offense once he gets healthy. Nick Mason, Austin Hutchison, Gabe Rich and David Mayo are transfers who could help on the mound -- and Mason's brother Jake is a promising freshman. Hutchison was the Friday starter for East Tennessee State last spring.
* Cleveland State is the other area TCCAA baseball program, and the Cougars also are set to get under way today -- in two games at Roane State, followed by a visit Wednesday to Gordon State. Sophomore pitchers back for veteran coach Mike Policastro are Kegan Frederick, Matt Roueche, Raunel Perez, Brandon Leonard and Michael Dike, with Colton Morgan a redshirt freshman. Other sophomore Cougars include infielders Janson Roberson and Clay Hetland, outfielders Wright Hackett and Jammer Strickland and catchers Anthony Hunt and Cole Baxley, with Sheldon Brogden, Hagen Wilkey and Connor Coakley redshirt freshman outfielders and Caleb Longley a redshirt freshman first baseman.