Eagle Baseball Takes on The Citadel, Mercer

STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern University will play the first of four games in four days on Friday night (May 2) as the Eagles play host to The Citadel in Southern Conference action.

The three-game series against the Bulldogs is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start. Saturday’s first pitch is slated for 6 p.m. and a 1:30 p.m. start on Sunday. Georgia Southern will face Mercer on Monday afternoon (May 5) at 2 p.m.

Georgia Southern fans can listen to every baseball game on Eagle 102.9 FM or via the internet at www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com. The pregame show begins 30 minutes prior to the game. The game will also be broadcast via the website on Eagle Vision.

Prior to Saturday’s game another Clements Tailgate event is in store. The event, starting at 4 p.m., is free to the fans. Sonny’s BBQ will provide pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, baked beans, cole slaw and drinks.

During Sunday’s game, Georgia Southern will sponsor ‘Baseball for the Boys’. All children ages 14 and under will be admitted for free with a paid adult. During the game, Athletic Department representatives will take donations to support Joseph’s Home for Boys in Bulloch County, which serves to benefit local children in need.

The Eagles (26-18 overall, 10-8 Southern Conference) are looking to extend their six-game winning streak, coming off a 17-7 win over Jacksonville on Wednesday. The team batting average improved to .349, along with a .968 fielding percentage and 6.65 ERA.

During the win Georgia Southern broke the season home run record. The third of three consecutive home runs hit during a 10-run third inning was number 89, surpassing the 1990 College World Series team’s previous mark.

Reigning National ‘Player of the Week’ Ty Wright (Montrose/West Laurens) took over the team lead hitting 16 doubles, in addition to his .407 batting average, 14 home runs and 49 runs scored. He owns a .852 slugging percentage and .506 on-base mark. Wright enters the week ranked second nationally in slugging percentage (.841) and tied for 11th in home runs per game.

Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) continues to pace the offense hitting at a .436 clip. Entering this week the Dick Howser Award finalist has recorded 13 doubles, 15 home runs and driven in 57 runs to go with his team-leading 66 runs scored. He has walked 41 times, registered a .559 on-base percentage and been successful stealing bases when on board, 20-of-21. Shehan enters the week nationally ranked in nine different offensive categories.

David Richardson (Dahlonega/Lumpkin County) extended his hitting streak to a personal-high 10 games. He enters the weekend batting .392 with 32 runs scored and 36 RBI. Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) is also closing in on .400, currently hitting at a .394 clip with 47 runs scored, 35 RBI and 16-of-21 stealing bases.

Drew Murray (LaGrange/LaGrange), Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine Academy) and Andy Moye (Alpharetta/Alpharetta) are scheduled to start. Murray owns a 6-1 record and 6.92 ERA in 53.1 innings with 51 strikeouts. Kamppi has improved to 4-2 overall with a 5.06 ERA in 42.2 innings. Moye enters the series 2-4 with a 7.14 ERA.

The Citadel (23-21, 11-10) has lost four straight and eight of its last nine - including a 1-5 mark in league play. Overall the Bulldogs own a .282 batting average, .967 fielding percentage and 4.69 ERA. Sonny Meade (11 doubles, 32 RBI) and Chris Swauger (17 doubles, seven HR, 29 RBI) lead the hitting attack batting .386 each. Matt Crim (5-4) leads the staff with a 3.62 ERA. He is scheduled to throw game one. Wes Wrenn (4-5, 4.62) and Asher Wojciechowski (4-0, 4.34) are slated to start games two and three, respectively. Matt Reifsnider (4.58 ERA) has a 4-3 record and saved a team-leading seven games.

Category: Baseball

Published on Thursday, 01 May 2008 00:20