Wake Forest to Host Appalachian State on April 26 at BB&T Ballpark

(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) - On Tuesday, April 26, 2016, college baseball will return to BB&T Ballpark as the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons will host the Appalachian State University Mountaineers in a 6:05 p.m. game. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. and field box tickets will be just $10 for fans. Students from each university will be offered a discounted field box ticket of just $8 by showing a school ID. Tickets will go on sale at charlotteknights.com a later date.

"We are very pleased to welcome both Wake Forest University and Appalachian State University to BB&T Ballpark on April 26," said Knights Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President Dan Rajkowski. "This game will bring together two more well-established college baseball programs in the Carolina area to Uptown Charlotte. Bringing in college baseball to the Uptown Charlotte area is a goal we have had since day one."

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and are led by head baseball coach Tom Walter. Walter, who enters his seventh season as the school's head coach in 2016, was the subject of an ESPN 30-for-30 documentary for donating one of his kidneys to Kevin Jordan, an outfielder on the Demon Deacons. Jordan, who was diagnosed with a serious kidney disease and needed a transplant, received the kidney from Walter just days before the 2011 season.

"We are very excited to play at BB&T Ballpark against Appalachian State," stated Walter. "BB&T Ballpark is an outstanding facility and the Demon Deacons are looking forward to playing Appalachian State in Charlotte. We look forward to the opportunity to play more games at BB&T Ballpark."

Last season, Walter's Demon Deacons compiled a 27-26 record. Over the years, a number of Wake Forest University baseball players have also worn a Knights jersey, including pitchers Ryan Braun and Mike MacDougal, as well as infielders Tommy Gregg and Chris Getz. Gregg hit .286 with 22 home runs and 80 RBIs in 119 games with the Knights in 1996.

The Appalachian State University Mountaineers are members of the Sun Belt Conference and are led by head baseball coach Billy Jones. Last year, the club posted a 17-36 record. Catcher Jeremy Dowdy, who appeared in eight games with the Charlotte Knights in 2015, is a product of Appalachian State. Dowdy, a native of Raleigh, NC, was signed by the Chicago White Sox in 2012.

Over the past two weeks, the Knights have announced a total of five collegiate baseball games to be played in Uptown Charlotte next season. The 49ers will play three of the five scheduled college games, including a game against the University of Georgia on March 8, and a game against N.C. State University on March 29. Winthrop University will host the 49ers at BB&T Ballpark on April 5, while the University of South Carolina will host the University of North Carolina on April 12. Tickets for all five collegiate baseball games will go on sale to the general public on charlotteknights.com at a later date.