HICKORY, N.C. - Head Coach Adam Skonieczki and the Lenoir-Rhyne Baseball team have announced a number of staff promotions. Micah Baumfeld has been named the Associate Head Coach while Blake Bean has been added as a full time assistant coach. In addition to those two promotions, former Bear Owen Blackledge will join the staff as a volunteer assistant for this upcoming season. 

Micah Baumfeld has been the Bears' pitching coach since he joined Lenoir-Rhyne in 2022. His pitching staffs have constantly appeared in the tops of the SAC for strikeouts and opposing batting average, and have also made their mark in the Lenoir-Rhyne record books. His 2025 staff tied the school record with eight shutouts, and is second all-time with 562 strikeouts. In 2023 teams hit just .248 against the Bears, which is third all-time in program history. His 2025 staff set individual records for wins, starts, innings pitched, and strikeouts. In just three years he has seen eight pitchers named to an All-SAC team. 

"I am extremely excited to announce Micah Baumfeld as the associate head coach for our baseball program," said Skonieczki. "Coach B has done a tremendous job leading the pitching staff over the last few years. He has guided our pitching staff to be one of the best in the country and we are extremely fortunate to have him in our dugout.  I am grateful to be coaching alongside him again for the 2026 season."

Blake Bean spent last season as a volunteer assistant for the Bears. In his first year as a coach the Bears won 50 games and advance to the NCAA DII Championships for the first time in program history. An accomplished player in his own right, Bean graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne in 2024 and was a two-time All-Conference performer for the Bears. He sits in the top-ten for four different career categories and his .641 slugging percentage is third all-time. Originally from Farmington Hills, Michigan, Bean was an All-American at Kalamazoo College before joining the Bears.

"Blake was a tremendous ballplayer here, moved into the role of volunteer assistant and now has been promoted to our recruiting coordinator. He absolutely deserves the promotion and I am excited to watch him continue to grow his coaching career. I believe Coach Bean is a rising star in our profession."

Owen Blackledge was a catalyst for Lenoir-Rhyne's record breaking season last year. He set the single-season school record with 57 walks and tied the school record with a perfect fielding percentage on the season. In his two year with the Bears, Blackledge ended up on the career top-ten for walks (84), on base percentage (.461), and fielding percentage (.990). Last season he was an All-SAC First Team an NCBWA All-Region First Team honoree. Prior to his time with the Bears Blackledge was a member of the 2023 TCU team that advanced to the College World Series in Omaha. 

"I was fortunate to coach Owen for two seasons here at Lenoir-Rhyne and it was an absolute home run for our baseball program when Owen decided that he wanted to start his coaching career," states Skonieczki. "He has the personality, work ethic, and knowledge to be an outstanding coach and our players will benefit tremendously from him."

All three of these individuals were key pieces on a Bears team that won a record 50 games last year, advanced to the NCAA Division II