STATESBORO, Ga. ? Georgia Southern Baseball begins the final month of the regular season with a Southern Conference three-game series against Furman. Saturday's doubleheader (May 2) and Sunday's single-game are both scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start.
Every baseball game can be heard on the Georgia Southern Radio Network, flagship station Eagle 102.9 FM in Statesboro, and via the internet at www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com. Ryan Chambers will call the game and the broadcast will begin 30 minutes before first pitch.
The Eagles (31-12 overall, 13-6 Southern Conference) are coming off a doubleheader split at Kennesaw State on Wednesday. Ty Wright (Montrose/ABAC) hit his second grand slam of the season, Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) recorded seven hits on the day and Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) added five hits and five RBI.
GS will also look to end a streak of three straight years losing the season series to Furman. The Eagles lost 2-of-3 the last two trips to Greenville and two years ago were swept at home to start SoCon play. In 2005 the Eagles won the first two games of the series before rain cancelled game three.
One Georgia Southern win this weekend will officially clinch a berth in the Southern Conference Tournament, as the top eight teams qualify.
Benedict ranks third in the SoCon in batting average (.426) and on-base percentage (.540) while leading the way in hit by pitches (20). Benedict moved into a share of the team lead hitting 12 doubles and is on the verge of joining the 50/50 club again, 44 runs scored/44 RBI this year. He now owns sole possession of ninth place on the all-time RBI list (174).
Wright (.372) leads the team and is tied for fifth in the league scoring 53 runs. He also leads the team driving in 45 runs and stealing 15-of-17 bases. Porter's home run at Kennesaw was his team-leading eighth. He has scored 44 runs and driven in 34 to go with his .333 batting average.
Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) was named this week to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List, honoring the top shortstop in the country. Pierce owns a .333 batting average with 30 runs, 29 RBI, 11 doubles and .976 fielding percentage.
Kevin Bowles (Statesboro/Statesboro) entered the week 26th nationally in toughest to strike out, once every 16.3 at-bats. Freshman Eric Phillips (Carrollton/Carrollton) started the week in 36th at 15.3 at-bats.
Chris Mederos (Valdosta/Gordon College) will start game one. The junior right-hander stands 8-1 with a 4.50 ERA, striking out 71 in 60 innings. Mederos leads the SoCon in wins and strikeouts while entering the weekend seventh in ERA.
Jake Brown (Forest Hill, MD/Pitt CC) gets the start in game two. He owns a 4-3 record and 4.10 ERA in 52.2 innings. The junior left-hander is tied for second in the SoCon for ERA. Brown has fanned 42 batters and walked just 13.
Freshman Matt Murray (Spring City, PA/Owen Roberts) is slated to start on Sunday. He owns a 3-3 record and 4.81 ERA (8th in SoCon) in 48.2 innings of work. Murray has struck out 33 to 21 walks allowed.
Overall, the Eagles rank 11th nationally averaging 9.4 runs per game. They bring a .318 team batting average, .974 fielding percentage and 4.97 ERA into the series. Georgia Southern's ERA and fielding percentage both lead the Southern Conference.
Furman (19-22, 7-14) is battling to capture one of the top eight spots in order to qualify for the Southern Conference Tournament. The Paladins have dropped five straight SoCon series and will face The Citadel and UNC Greensboro to close out the conference schedule. Furman owns a .280 team batting average, .970 fielding percentage and 7.20 ERA.
Marcus Rose leads the hitting attack batting .345 with 29 runs scored and 18-of-22 in stolen bases. Reese Wade owns a .319 average and has driven in 26 runs. Brian Harrison leads the Paladins with four triples, 10 home runs, 19 walks and 32 RBI. Relief pitcher Spencer Hale owns a 5-2 record and 3.48 ERA in 31 innings. Ian Parry (3-4, 5.08) and Barry Benton (2-5, 5.94) have both started 11 games.
