3 Days until First Pitch - #8 Jalen Jones

It's only 3 days until the Western Carolina Baseball team takes the field at Hennon Stadium for the first pitch against the Chicago State Cougars to open the 2020 baseball season. Let's take this time to meet this season's Cats with Bats.

We will highlight them by class, starting with the seniors and ending with the brand new freshmen Catamounts.

#8 Jalen Jones

POSITION Infield
HEIGHT 5-10
WEIGHT 165
CLASS Sophomore
HOMETOWN McDonough, Ga.
HIGH SCHOOL Union Grove HS




2019 (Freshman): Played in 50 games with 44 appearances in the starting lineup including 33 starts at shortstop, eight at second base, two at third base and once as the designated hitter … Batted .289 with 43 base hits including 11 for extra bases with nine doubles and two triples … Recorded 10 multiple-hit games including three, three-hit outings with four multiple-RBI games … Enjoyed hitting streaks of both six and seven games … Drew 12 walks with three HBPS to add to his .352 on-base percentage … Made his collegiate debut with a start at second base against Oakland (Feb. 15), driving in his first collegiate run on a sacrifice fly in the third inning, scoring his first run in the fourth before tallying his first career base hit on an eighth-inning double to left field to plate his second run … Tripled in his second collegiate game, lacing a game-tying, two-RBI pinch-hit triple off the fence in center field against Oakland (Feb. 16) … Doubled twice in a 3-for-4, two RBI performance against Indiana State (Feb. 27) … Matched a career-high with three hits in a road win at UNC Asheville (March 6) and again against Elon (March 16).

Prior to Western Carolina: Played infield and pitched as a prep at Union Grove HS ... Hit .300 as a senior after batting .324 as a junior on the varsity squad ... Credited with 24 RBIs and 42 runs scored over his final two years as a prep ...Was named to the 2016 Main Event Showcase Top Prospect List.

Personal: Full name is Jalen Anthony Jones ... Is the son of Charisse and Erroll Jones ... Youngest of four children - Erica, Eric, and Mona ... His mother cheered at Albany State.




Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations