ELON, N.C. — After earning a three-game sweep of Wagner over the weekend, the Elon baseball team will play a pair of in-state foes in mid-week games. The Phoenix will host UNC Wilmington at 4 p.m. on Tuesday before visiting North Carolina A&T for a 4 p.m. game on Wednesday.
Both mid-week games will air live on WSOE 89.3 FM and through elonphoenix.com.
Probable Starting Pitchers
Tuesday
Elon – RH Matt Harris (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
UNCW – RH Ryan Foster (0-0, 5.40 ERA)
Wednesday
Elon – TBA
North Carolina A&T – TBA
Inside the Series
Elon and UNC Wilmington have met every season since 1998. The two programs first met for five games in 1964. UNCW leads the all-time series 29-23.
Elon has met N.C. A&T 52 times on the diamond and has come away victorious in 46 of those games. The Aggies have five wins and there has been one tie.
Countdown to 600: 582
Already Elon’s all-time winningest coach, skipper Mike Kennedy is closing in on career victory number 600. Kennedy currently has 582 wins to his credit, all in the maroon and gold.
Hot Start
Through its first six games of the 2014 season, Elon has posted a 5-1 record. It marks the best start to a year for the maroon and gold since 2008 when the Phoenix won its first 10 games of the season.
Stalzer Earns SoCon Honor
After two starts in which he did not allow an earned run in 14.0 innings, Jake Stalzer was named the SoCon Pitcher of the Week for games played between Feb. 17-23.
Stalzer made two starts during the week and went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA. In his debut in the maroon and gold, Stalzer tossed seven innings and allowed just one unearned run on six hits in a victory over Cincinnati. He followed that up with another seven-inning start in a win over Wagner. Against Wagner, Stalzer gave up just three hits and struck out three while keeping the Seahawks scoreless. Sunday’s outing began with him allowing a single to the leadoff hitter. Wagner would not record another hit until there were two outs in the seventh.
No. 500
With it’s 14-2 victory over Wagner on Feb. 21, the Phoenix program achieved a milestone. That win was the 500th for the program since moving to NCAA Division I play for the 2000 season. In that time, only three of the other 17 D-I programs in the state of North Carolina have more victories than the Phoenix – North Carolina, East Carolina and NC State.
We Are Family
The 2014 Elon roster sports two pairs of brothers. Junior outfielders Quinn Bower and Blaine Bower are twins from New Cumberland, Pa. The other set of brothers are junior outfielder/first baseman Sam Paone and freshman outfielder D.J. Paone who hail from Jupiter, Fla.
Elon or the Pros?
Elon’s 2014 roster sports two players who chose to don the maroon and gold and forgo a professional career.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Tyler Manez was picked by the Houston Astros in the 32nd round, number 969 overall, in the 2012 MLB Draft while freshman infielder Nick Zammarelli was a 28th round selection, number 833 overall, of the Boston Red Sox in the 2013 draft.
Junior college transfer Jose Lazaro was also drafted out of high school, but opted to head to college. The right-handed pitcher was a 28th round selection, number 869 overall, by the New York Yankees in the 2011 MLB draft.
30+
With its 34 wins in 2013, Elon has recorded 14 consecutive seasons with at least 30 wins. Elon has won 33, 30, 34, 34, 31, 32, 45, 32, 44, 41, 38, 36, 33 and 34 games in that span. In this time, the Phoenix has made six NCAA Division I Regional appearances (2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013).
Home Sweet Home
Traditionally, Elon has played well at Latham Park. Under Mike Kennedy, Elon has posted a 319-137-1 (.699) record at its on-campus stadium.