University of Richmond Athletics
Spider Baseball Add Nine Newcomers to the 2027 Squad
04/07/2026 | Baseball
RICHMOND, Va. – Spider Baseball head coach Mik Aoki is excited to announce the addition of nine freshman to the 2026-27 squad. Six newcomers are from the Commonwealth while the other three hail from Illinois, Florida and Texas. The nine new Spiders are a good mix between position players and pitchers, including an outfielder, two catchers, two two-way position players, two left-handed pitchers and two right-handed pitchers.
Kaine Ellis, a catcher from Brooksville, Fla., heads north to join the Spiders after wrapping up spring season action with the Hernando High baseball program. Ellis is a four-year varsity starter behind the dish and serves as a team captain for the HHS program. In his three seasons with the HHS program, he has earned three-straight All-Conference First Team and team offensive MVP accolades. Ellis helped the program to two conference titles as well as a region title and a state final four appearance.
Shota Fogus, a right-handed pitcher from Burke, Va., heads into spring season action as a team captain for the Bishop O'Connell baseball program. As a junior, Fogus earned WCAC First Team as a pitcher as he helped the program to a WCAC second place ranking, a four-spot improvement from the 2024 season. Fogus also gained experience playing with the San Diego Padres Scout travel team.
Giacomo Franco, a native of Chesapeake, Va., is a left-handed pitcher and outfielder that has gained experience on the mound with the Grassfield High program and the Showcase Baseball Academy travel team. With the Grassfield High baseball program, Franco heads into spring action as a four-year letterman, three-year starter, and two-time team captain. Franco has collected GHS Team MVP accolades along with All-Region as a pitcher and outfielder and Virginian-Pilot All-Tidewater honors.
MJ Lemke, a right-handed pitcher from Virginia Beach, Va., will join the Spiders with experience from playing with the Frank W. Cox High baseball program and the Tidewater Phillies travel team. Last season, Lemke helped the Cox High program to a Virginia Class 5 baseball state final appearance.
Matthew McCauley, a left-handed pitcher from Stafford, Va., joins the Spiders after splitting time between Mountain View High and Highland School baseball programs. With the Mountain View program, McCauley collected back-to-back Honorable Mention accolades as he helped the team back-to-back Commonwealth District Championships in 2023 and 2024. In his junior season with Highland, McCauley earned Second Team All-State honors as the program won a VISSA D2 State Championship.
Evan Salapka, a native of Mechanicsville, Va., is a right-handed pitcher that has helped the Atlee High program on the mound as a three-year varsity starter. He helped the Atlee High program to back-to-back Virginia Region 4B Championships in 2024 and 2025 and a Virginia Class 4 State Championship titled in 2024. On the mound, Salapka closed out the regional and state championship victories as a sophomore. With his club team, the Richmond Braves Platinum, Salapka made the round of 16 in the Perfect Game WWBA tournaments in 2024 and 2025, while collecting Perfect Game national rankings of 21st in 2024 and 18th in 2025.
Nick Sichel, a native of Winnetka, Ill., heads into the spring season as a two-year varsity catcher for the New Trier High program. Last season, Sichel helped the New Trier High team to a conference and regional championships (2025). He also gained experience behind the dish with the Top Tier North 2026 elite team for four seasons.
Grayson Shield, an outfielder from Gloucester, Va., brings his experience helping the Gloucester High program to back-to-back VHSL Region 4A Championships in 2024 and 2025 to the Spiders. Shield is a four-year varsity letterman and starter for the GHS program as well as the Virginia Cardinals travel team. Last year, he was named All-Peninsula District and First Team All-Region 4A.
Elijah Webber, a native of Boyd, Texas, is a right-handed pitcher and infielder for the Boyd High baseball program. Webber helped BHS to a 2023 3A State Championship while collecting All-District Second Team honors as a pitcher that season. Webber has also collected All-District Second Team as a designated hitter (2024), All-District Pitcher of the Year (2025) and Wise County Pitcher of the Year (2025) accolades. The four-time varsity letterman has also served as a team captain twice for the BHS program.
Kaine Ellis, a catcher from Brooksville, Fla., heads north to join the Spiders after wrapping up spring season action with the Hernando High baseball program. Ellis is a four-year varsity starter behind the dish and serves as a team captain for the HHS program. In his three seasons with the HHS program, he has earned three-straight All-Conference First Team and team offensive MVP accolades. Ellis helped the program to two conference titles as well as a region title and a state final four appearance.
Shota Fogus, a right-handed pitcher from Burke, Va., heads into spring season action as a team captain for the Bishop O'Connell baseball program. As a junior, Fogus earned WCAC First Team as a pitcher as he helped the program to a WCAC second place ranking, a four-spot improvement from the 2024 season. Fogus also gained experience playing with the San Diego Padres Scout travel team.
Giacomo Franco, a native of Chesapeake, Va., is a left-handed pitcher and outfielder that has gained experience on the mound with the Grassfield High program and the Showcase Baseball Academy travel team. With the Grassfield High baseball program, Franco heads into spring action as a four-year letterman, three-year starter, and two-time team captain. Franco has collected GHS Team MVP accolades along with All-Region as a pitcher and outfielder and Virginian-Pilot All-Tidewater honors.
MJ Lemke, a right-handed pitcher from Virginia Beach, Va., will join the Spiders with experience from playing with the Frank W. Cox High baseball program and the Tidewater Phillies travel team. Last season, Lemke helped the Cox High program to a Virginia Class 5 baseball state final appearance.
Matthew McCauley, a left-handed pitcher from Stafford, Va., joins the Spiders after splitting time between Mountain View High and Highland School baseball programs. With the Mountain View program, McCauley collected back-to-back Honorable Mention accolades as he helped the team back-to-back Commonwealth District Championships in 2023 and 2024. In his junior season with Highland, McCauley earned Second Team All-State honors as the program won a VISSA D2 State Championship.
Evan Salapka, a native of Mechanicsville, Va., is a right-handed pitcher that has helped the Atlee High program on the mound as a three-year varsity starter. He helped the Atlee High program to back-to-back Virginia Region 4B Championships in 2024 and 2025 and a Virginia Class 4 State Championship titled in 2024. On the mound, Salapka closed out the regional and state championship victories as a sophomore. With his club team, the Richmond Braves Platinum, Salapka made the round of 16 in the Perfect Game WWBA tournaments in 2024 and 2025, while collecting Perfect Game national rankings of 21st in 2024 and 18th in 2025.
Nick Sichel, a native of Winnetka, Ill., heads into the spring season as a two-year varsity catcher for the New Trier High program. Last season, Sichel helped the New Trier High team to a conference and regional championships (2025). He also gained experience behind the dish with the Top Tier North 2026 elite team for four seasons.
Grayson Shield, an outfielder from Gloucester, Va., brings his experience helping the Gloucester High program to back-to-back VHSL Region 4A Championships in 2024 and 2025 to the Spiders. Shield is a four-year varsity letterman and starter for the GHS program as well as the Virginia Cardinals travel team. Last year, he was named All-Peninsula District and First Team All-Region 4A.
Elijah Webber, a native of Boyd, Texas, is a right-handed pitcher and infielder for the Boyd High baseball program. Webber helped BHS to a 2023 3A State Championship while collecting All-District Second Team honors as a pitcher that season. Webber has also collected All-District Second Team as a designated hitter (2024), All-District Pitcher of the Year (2025) and Wise County Pitcher of the Year (2025) accolades. The four-time varsity letterman has also served as a team captain twice for the BHS program.
Baseball Prepares for A-10 Conference Play
Thursday, March 12
Baseball Postgame vs Penn State: Head Coach Mik Aoki
Sunday, February 22
Baseball Highlights vs. JMU
Thursday, February 19
Baseball Press Conference
Wednesday, February 11