HICKORY, N.C. — The Catawba Valley Community College baseball program officially kicks off its 16th season this weekend with a pair of weekend doubleheaders against USC Lancaster.

It's been a whirlwind couple of months leading up to the 2025 spring season for the Red Hawks, whose preparation was hindered after Hurricane Helene made landfall in North Carolina this past September.

"Obviously the fall with the hurricane was kind of weird," said CVCC head baseball coach Marshall McDonald, who enters his fourth year at the helm of the program he once played for. "We only got to play like half our games and traveled around to different high schools to practice. It's good being back on our field. We're excited to get going."

Despite the difficulties of scheduling in the fall, the Red Hawk baseball program got better not only athletically, but also academically with a 3.17 cumulative team GPA during the fall 2024 semester.

"We tell our players that they are here to better their career at the next level. Whether they like it or not, they can't do that without the academics," McDonald said. "You tell them straight up that we'll give them the outlets they need with study hall, tutoring and grade checks, but it comes down to them. If this is something they are serious about, they'll do it. If not, we've got 60 guys on this roster. There's someone who will."

Only a handful of players return from last year's Red Hawk baseball roster, including third-year players Elec Marvin, Fabian Walker and Carter Starnes — all who McDonald sees playing pivotal leadership roles this spring.

"Elec was a role player last year, and he hopes to win the starting job in outfield," McDonald said. "Fabian and Carter have both battled injuries their first two years and look to be a big piece of things this year."

Also returning to the Red Hawk baseball roster is catcher Gage Weaver — the reigning Region 10 Defensive Player of the Year — and pitcher Michael Crayton, who McDonald has high hopes for.

"Michael has been through a lot," McDonald said. "He's excited to be playing baseball again."

McDonald has two returning assistant coaches to his staff — pitching coordinator Bryan Harvey and assistant coach Kyle Raynor. There is also a new addition in Robert Dudley, who McDonald has enjoyed being involved in the program.

"Robert is a hitting guy, and I am too so having him here allows me to focus on other things," McDonald said. "I've been working with pitching a lot more and running the program more. It's been nice. I'll be excited to see the recruiting piece with Robert next year when we have to replace 40 sophomores."

The early portion of the Red Hawk baseball schedule will test a young roster, including games against Division I opponents USC Lancaster and Gaston in back-to-back weekends to start the season.

"Playing eight games against two quality DI opponents in the first two weekends will let us know where we are," McDonald said. "We are also playing the new junior college in Tennessee — Pellissippi State — on a Tuesday doubleheader, and we also have Caldwell for a Friday-Saturday-Sunday weekend series. It should be tough to start out. We'll see. As we're trying things out and giving guys some opportunities that will eventually run dry. Doing it against teams like USC Lancaster and Gaston is always interesting."

As for his expectations heading into the spring, McDonald remains optimistic, and he believes his team's success will ultimately come down to how his players grow, mature and develop.

"It's going to be interesting," he said. "We have some talented guys, but not a lot with experience in college baseball. The fight I think, which will start Saturday, is getting them to do normal college baseball stuff — from the energy to the atmosphere to the understanding that now you're a part of a college baseball team. It's about trying to win each game we play — whatever that looks like.

"We've been working since August 15. Now the season opener is finally here," he added. "I get to sit back and watch them go compete. That's really what it's all about. Teaching all the freshmen and these young guys that are pretty damn talented that now we've got to go play college baseball."