SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University baseball team opens its 2025 campaign in North Carolina this weekend with a three-game set against Catawba.
 
With a strong core of proven, reliable starters both on the mound and in the batter's box, as well as a plethora of hungry and talented young players, Shippensburg has a chance to experience one of its better seasons in recent memory in 2025 as they navigate the always-challenging Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division.
 
"I think we have a lot of guys that can play at this level and can contribute. That's a good problem to have," said head coach Matt Jones. "We want to come out here and get a little bit better each and every day. We want to make sure that everybody has the same mindset and the same goal. I think they are going to have a really good season."
 
"We have a lot of great guys here," added senior Gio Calamia. "We haven't accomplished anything, so we have to go out and earn everything every day at practice and every day at lift. Nothing is going to be given to us."
 
The Raiders enter the 2025 season ranked No. 9 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Atlantic Region Preseason Poll. Four of the top ten teams, including two of the top three, represent the PSAC East (No. 2 West Chester, No. 3 East Stroudsburg, No. 6 Millersville, No. 9 Shippensburg).
 
"This team is pretty special," said senior Carter Arbuthnot. "I don't think I've been a part of a team at SHIP that has come together as quickly as we have."
 

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 Schedule
 
After spending the opening weekend in North Carolina, the Raiders will spend the rest of the month of February at Fairchild Field.
 
The home slate starts with a four-game set against nonconference foe St. Michaels (Feb. 14-15) and continues with Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover series against Gannon (Feb. 21-22) and Slippery Rock (Feb. 28-March 1) – two teams featured in the 2025 National College Baseball Writers Association Atlantic Region Preseason Poll.
 
The beginning of March features a respite from the Pennsylvania weather and a weekend series at Eckerd College in Florida (March 7-9).
 
PSAC Eastern Division play begins in earnest with a March 21 road doubleheader against Bloomsburg.
 
Coaching Staff
 
Matt Jones is in his 19th season as the head coach of the Shippensburg University baseball program.
 
Jones has guided the Raiders to 26-or-more wins in each of the last three seasons. Shippensburg's 19-13 mark last season in the PSAC East is tied for the most league wins during Jones' tenure.
 
Shippensburg has reached the PSAC Tournament each of the last three seasons. The program earned its first conference tournament win since 2018 by knocking off 2024 NCAA Super Regional-qualifier Seton Hill in the opening round last season.
 
During his time with the Raiders, Jones has led the program to five NCAA Regional Appearances and two College World Series.
 
He boasts 599 all-time victories in 23 seasons as a collegiate head coach spanning SU and Elizabethtown.
 
Sean Williamson returns for his 10th season on Jones' staff, functioning as the team hitting coach and recruiting coordinator.
 
Evan Englebrook, a former standout pitcher for the Raiders from '01-'04, returned in the fall to his alma mater as pitching coach.
 
An American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) First Team All-American as a senior, Englebrook also enjoyed an 11-year career on the mound in professional baseball.
 
Nick Spangler is in his third season on the SU staff. A former All-PSAC infielder for the Raiders, Spangler serves as the team's first base coach and oversees the infield defense.
 
Notes
 
Shippensburg posted a 27-21 record in 2024, qualifying for the PSAC Tournament.
 
SU returns 19 players from last year's team and welcomes a strong class of 12 newcomers.
 
Among the returning players are six members of last year's starting lineup. They include the lineup's top two table setters, senior shortstop Carter Hinds and senior centerfielder Gio Calamia. Hinds and Calamia finished 1-2 on the team last season in a number of categories including hits, runs scored and stolen bases.
 
Hinds was second on the team amongst qualifiers in batting average (.327), while Calamia (.314) finished third.
 
Also returning are two of the club's top three starting pitchers, led by Preseason All-America and All-Region senior ace Jaxon Dalena.
 
Dalena was among the conference's best in ERA (2.52, 5th in PSAC), strikeouts (78, 5th), and batting average against (.189, 3rd) in 2024. He is SU's first NCBWA Preseason All-American since Pat Kregeloh in 2014.
 
Position Breakdown (This listing is tentative entering the season and subject to change.)
 
Pitchers (14): Bryce Amos, Brenden Anderson, Conner Barto, Eric Bohenek, Jaxon Dalena, Thomas Davenport, Jacob Dennis, Cameron Goble, Brady Kain, Kaleb Maksimik, Franklin Muendel, Jack Robinson, Cole Snyder, J.T. Weaver
 
Catchers (3): Drew Brown, Mason Morris, Will Oates
 
Infielders (8): Carter Arbuthnot, Tony Falvo, Brady Harbach, Mike Heckman, Carter Hinds, Caleb Newcomer, Ty Sherman, Evan Shoffler
 
Outfielders (5): Kyle Ausgotharp, Gio Calamia, Thomas Cano-Piszel, Bryce Herb, Erby Weller
 
Utility (1): AJ Wenrich
 
Home Breakdown
 
Pennsylvania (18)
Conner Barto (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown)
Drew Brown (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin)
Thomas Cano-Piszel (Buckingham, Pa./Central Bucks East)
Jaxon Dalena (Cogan Station, Pa./Montoursville (Monmouth)
Thomas Davenport (Carlisle, Pa./Mercersburg Academy)
Jacob Dennis (Littlestown, Pa./Littlestown)
Cameron Goble (Pittsburgh, Pa./Moon Area (VCU))
Brady Harbach (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central)
Mike Heckman (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township)
Bryce Herb (Wiconisco, Pa./Williams Valley)
Carter Hinds (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South)
Brady Kain (Newport, Pa./Newport)
Kaleb Maksimik (Shenandoah, Pa./Shenandoah Valley)
Ty Sherman (Liverpool, Pa./Greenwood)
Cole Snyder (West Chester, Pa./B. Reed Henderson)
J.T. Weaver (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township)
Erby Weller (Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg Area)
AJ Wenrich (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin (Georgia Southern))
 
Virgina (4)
Kyle Ausgotharp (South Riding, Va./Freedom)
Eric Bohenek (Clifton, Va./Centreville)
Franklin Muendel (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac)
Jack Robinson (Marshall, Va./Battlefield (Roanoke))
 
Delaware (2)
Brenden Anderson (Georgetown, Del./Sussex Central)
Mason Morris (Milford, Del./Milford)
 
Maryland (2)
Caleb Newcomer (Hagerstown, Md./Mercersburg Academy (Pa.))
Will Oates (Hagerstown, Md./St. Maria Goretti)
 
Ohio (2)
Bryce Amos (Shadyside, Ohio/Shadyside (West Virginia)
Tony Falvo (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster)
 
Canada (1)
Carter Arbuthnot (Oshawa, Ontario/Maxwell Heights Secondary (Niagara County C.C.))
 
New Jersey (1)
Evan Shoffler (Cape May, N.J./Lower Cape May Regional)
 
Texas (1)
Gio Calamia (Burleson, Tex./Joshua (Mount Saint Mary's))