Catawba Baseball Closes In On Another SAC Title

Indians lead Wingate by 3 games with 2 series left in conference play

Apr. 17, 2026 at 4:49am

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A cubist-style painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and planes in the colors of a college baseball game, conceptually representing the strategic and competitive nature of the sport.Catawba's pursuit of another South Atlantic Conference baseball title is a testament to the program's ability to develop local talent into a perennial Division II powerhouse.Salisbury Today

Catawba College's baseball team, led by longtime head coach Jim Gantt, is closing in on its latest South Atlantic Conference (SAC) regular-season title. The third-ranked Division II Indians hold a 3-game lead over Wingate with just two series left to play. Catawba has been powered by a roster full of standout local talent, including several players from nearby high school powerhouses.

Why it matters

Winning the SAC regular-season title is a significant accomplishment in a conference that features strong programs like national champion Wingate and national semifinalist Lenoir-Rhyne. Catawba's sustained success under Gantt, who has over 1,000 career wins, highlights the strength of the local high school baseball talent pipeline feeding into the college program.

The details

The Indians (32-8, 23-4 SAC) are led by several players with local ties, including West Rowan's Casey Gouge (6-0, 2.67 ERA) and Matthew Connolly (.281, 10 HR, 43 RBIs), South Rowan's Nathan Chismon (.285) and Ty Hubbard (.333), and East Rowan's Logan Dyer (.412, .514 OBP, 47 runs) and Joe Burleyson (3 wins, 9 saves). Other key contributors include Brandon Crabtree (.432, 18 2B, 7 HR, 39 RBIs) and Jake Dunlap (.400).

  • Catawba plays at Newberry this weekend (April 18-19).
  • The Indians then travel to UNC Pembroke on April 22.
  • Catawba will close the regular season at home against Emory & Henry on April 25-26.

The players

Jim Gantt

Catawba College's head baseball coach since 1996, with over 1,000 career wins.

Casey Gouge

Former West Rowan left-handed pitcher who is 6-0 with a 2.67 ERA for Catawba this season.

Matthew Connolly

Former West Rowan slugger who leads Catawba with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs.

Nathan Chismon

South Rowan product contributing both offensively (.285) and defensively for the Indians.

Logan Dyer

Sophomore from East Rowan batting .412 with a .514 on-base percentage and 47 runs scored.

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What they’re saying

“Winning the SAC regular-season title is not a routine accomplishment, not something that can be taken for granted in a league that includes 2021 national champ Wingate and 2025 national semifinalist Lenoir-Rhyne.”

— Mike London, Salisbury Post Reporter

What’s next

Catawba will look to clinch the SAC regular-season title over their final two conference series against Newberry and Emory & Henry. If they can secure the title, the Indians will then turn their attention to the postseason, where they'll aim to make a deep run.

The takeaway

Catawba's sustained excellence under longtime coach Jim Gantt is a testament to the strength of the local high school baseball talent pipeline feeding into the program. The Indians' ability to consistently compete for conference titles in a tough league highlights the program's culture of winning and development of homegrown talent.