PENSACOLA, Fla. --- The University of West Florida baseball team takes on USC Aiken in a home non-conference three-game series.
 
The Argos will begin with a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 9. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. The series will conclude on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2:00 p.m.
 
Tickets are $7 for general admission, $10 for chair backs and $5 for military and seniors. Free admission for students that provide a valid nautilus ID.
 
UWF will host Bingo during Friday's contests and Little League Day is set for Saturday.
 
About UWF

• Mike Jeffcoat enters his 19^th season as head coach with UWF.
• Jeffcoat led the team as GSC Champions and was awarded the GSC Coach of the Year in 2023. Additionally, he gained his second career NCBWA South Region Coach of the Year honor.
• The Argos sit at No. 11 in the NCBWA national rankings, No. 15 in the Collegiate baseball newspaper poll, and tabbed the one spot in the GSC Preseason Coaches Poll.
• This is the fifth time UWF topped the GSC Preseason Coaches Poll since 2014 and the third time in the last four seasons.
• UWF set a league-high of six Preseason All-GSC selections: Trent Jeffcoat, Darrien McDowell, Kade Manderscheid, Dalton Neuschwander, Major Posey and Mike Scordo.
• Neuschwander and Scordo were named NCBWA Preseason All-South Region First Team.
• Neuschwander was named NCBWA Preseason All-America First Team.
• UWF joins eight transfers and seven freshmen to the squad.

 
Recap of the Memorable 23' Season

• The Argos finished first in the GSC after going 39-17 overall, 22-8 in conference.
• The team captured their fifth GSC Regular Season crown and third GSC Tournament title. UWF hosted the South-Region tournament as the two-seed for their ninth NCAA tournament appearance.
• UWF set a school record of most runs scored in a single game in a 23-4 victory (April 19).
• Darrien McDowell led the team offensively with a .357 batting average. McDowell led in hits (75), doubles (16), home runs (14) and RBI (63).
• McDowell set a UWF single season home run record of 14 in the GSC Tournament (May 9).
• Neuschwander finished the season with a 1.87 ERA. In 101.1 innings pitched, he threw 77 strikeouts and held opponents to a .198 batting average.
• Neuschwander drew up an impressive resume that contained 14 accolades throughout the season including GSC Pitcher of the Year and South Region Pitcher of the Year for the NCBWA, D2CCA and ABCA. He was also named an All-American by the NCBWA, D2CCA and ABCA.

 
Last Weekend Versus Florida Southern

• UWF came back from a 6-2 loss in the season opener and took the series win, 2-1.
• UWF won both games in the Saturday (Feb. 3) doubleheader.
• In the opening doubleheader game, the Argos came back from a 7-1 deficit and took the win, 14-10. Brett Rowell secured the UWF victory off a walk-off grand slam.
• Rowell went on to hit a two RBI outfield single in the final game for a 2-0 win over the Mocs.
• Rowell leads the team with six total RBI and .500 batting average.
• Jackson Grabsky leads the team with five hits and follows Rowell with a .400 batting average.
• Jacob Heath had two appearances on the mound against Florida Southern and recorded a win and a save.
• Kade Manderscheid got a win in six innings pitched. He threw four strikeouts and helped secure the series win for UWF.

Manderscheid Named Conference Pitcher of the Week

• Manderscheid pitched the final game over Florida Southern (Feb. 3). He earned a win after a six inning, four strikeout performance. He allowed only three hits and held the Mocs scoreless for a 2-0 victory.
• The junior out of Riverview, Fla. held his opponents to a .136 batting average. He leads the pitching squad with a .67 WHIP in the Argos season series opener.
• This is the second year in a row UWF has gained this honor after opening week.
• Manderscheid was a Preseason All-GSC selection and was awarded All-GSC First Team in 2023. The starting pitcher went 7-1 on the mound in last season's contests.

 
Newcomer Watchlist

• Junior transfers Rowell, Parker Tubb and Marcus O'Malley are on the Newcomer Watchlist and they are players to keep an eye on.
• Rowell, a Florida native, will be a strong asset in the backstop. The catcher comes from Coastal Alabama CC – East. In his two-year, 80 appearance career at Coastal Alabama, Rowell recorded 258 putouts and 27 assists. He sat at a .338 batting average his freshman year and .301 the following year. He racked up a combined 25 doubles, a triple and four homers.
• Tubb will make his way to the outfield in his first season with UWF. The Pace, Florida native is coming off a .418 batting average and a .527 on base percentage at Coastal Alabama – South. In this impressive sophomore season, Tubb tallied 69 hits, a pair of homers and 29 RBI in 54 appearances. He also recorded 24 stolen bases.
• O'Malley is a FIU transfer. Before that, he was at Virginia Commonwealth his freshman year. He was an Atlantic 10 Champion and Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team. O'Malley collected 42 hits that included three doubles and a home run for 30 runs and 22 RBI. O'Malley is set to take on the infield for his UWF debut.

 
About USC Aiken Pacers

• USC Aiken is 0-3 on the season after taking on UNC Pembroke last weekend in a home non-conference matchup.
• The Pacers were receiving votes in the Southeast Region of the NCBWA preseason poll.
• Junior, Josh Sharp, leads the team with a .286 batting average. The outfielder is first on the team in hits and runs scored at four each.
• Dalton Graves leads the team in RBI (3) in two appearances.
• Pitchers Kevin Cox, Jacob Fletcher and Hunter Steger earned starts in each game over UNC Pembroke.
• Senior, Steger leads the team with six strikeouts in five innings pitched. He's throwing a 3.60 ERA and holds his opponents to a .250 batting average.

 
Argo vs. Pacer History

• The Argos and Pacers have one meeting that travels back to 2001.
• The Pacers took the win, 4-0.

 
Stay up to date ­­with the program at goargos.com or on Twitter and Instagram @UWF_Baseball.