Organizational Details

  • Last Title: 1999, last finals appearance was in 2015.
  • General Manager: Lance Mauck
  • Recruiter: Steve Cox
  • Head Coach: Chris Allen, assistant coach at Bluefield University for three years. Previously he spent three seasons on the coaching staff at Tennessee Wesleyan. Of his new gig, he said, “I’m really excited to join the Valley League and get things rolling.” (Allen answered questions for this article)
  • Key Pro Alumni: Nate Pearson (2016) and Thad Ward (2016)
  • One Last Note: The outfield fence was worked on a bit this month; I wonder what might be different!

2021 Recap

It’s not unheard-of for a Valley League team to make a coaching change in the middle of a summer, but it’s somewhat rare. Staunton did just that in 2021, moving on from Caleb Abney after the team started 4-7. Lance Mauck came down from his General Manager’s office and led the team to a 15-13 record the rest of the way, good for a second place finish in the South, 10.5 games behind Charlottesville. The team swept Harrisonburg in the first round of the playoffs, but fell short of the finals, losing a hard fought three game series with Waynesboro. Staunton was led at the plate (and field) by shortstop Ryan McCarty (Penn State Abington), who went on to annihilate D-III pitching this spring (seriously- he’s a Golden Spikes semi-finalist). VCU’s Jack Masloff led the staff.

Returners

  • Ty Barker, VMI (2021)
  • Grant Painter, JMU (2021)
  • Jacob Matheney, Bluefield State (2021)
  • Joe Delossantos, William & Mary (2021)
  • Reid Celata, UMBC (2019 and 2021) (Pictured)

Hitters to Watch

  • Bryant Goolsby, Trevecca Nazarene: Named second team All-Great Midwest Conference, hit 13 home runs, 13 doubles, and knocked in 37 runs
  • Joe Delossantos: .301/.391/.529, 11 doubles, eight home runs, 11 stolen bases
  • Drew Roberts, UMBC: Seven doubles, 11 stolen bases
  • Logan West, Trevecca Nazarene: First team Great Midwest Conference, scored 43 runs, hit 14 doubles, four home runs, and drove in 38
  • Grant Painter: Went 8-23 in limited time this spring; he’s also recovering from an injury

Pitchers to Watch

Bradyn Kail is returning to the area as the club’s new pitching coach- he played for Staunton in 2018.

  • Jacob Matheney, Bluefield State: 43 K’s in 42 innings
  • Ty Barker: Nine K’s in 9 ⅔ innings
  • Kieren Collins, Johns Hopkins: 4-1, 3.34, 2/34 BB/K in 35 innings
  • Wesley Arrington, Lynchburg: 3-2, 4.50 in 36 innings
  • Reid Celata, UMBC

Other Notes

  • Both Michael Robertson (Mary Baldwin) and Grant Painter attended Riverheads High School in Staunton.