Revamped Chanticleer Classic Awaits Elon Phoenix Baseball Team

ELON, N.C. — A revised schedule will await the Elon baseball team as it travels to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for the Chanticleer Classic this weekend.

Due to a rainy forecast, Elon will no longer play a game on Friday. Instead, the Phoenix will now face Minnesota at 10 a.m. and UMBC at 5 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday, Elon will conclude the tournament by facing Coastal Carolina at 2:30 p.m.

Elon has added a home game on Monday, March 10 at 4 p.m. against UMBC.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Saturday vs. Minnesota
Elon – RH Lucas Bakker (1-1, 2.60 ERA)
Minnesota – RH Alec Crawford (0-0, 3.77 ERA)

Saturday vs. UMBC
Elon – RH Michael Elefante (3-0, 1.29 ERA)
UMBC – RH Mac Gill (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Sunday vs. Coastal Carolina
Elon – LH Jake Stalzer (3-0, 0.00 ERA)
Coastal Carolina – RH Tyler Herb (0-3, 5.52 ERA)

Inside the Series
This weekend will mark Elon’s first-ever games against both Minnesota and UMBC. The Phoenix and Coastal Carolina have played 33 times prior to this weekend with Elon claiming 11 victories, including an 8-7 decision at TicketReturn.com Field a year ago.

Countdown to 600: 585
Already Elon’s all-time winningest coach, skipperMike Kennedy is closing in on career victory number 600. Kennedy currently has 585 wins to his credit, all in the maroon and gold.

1,000
In his 18th season leading his alma mater, Elon head coach Mike Kennedy saw his 1,000th game as the skipper of the maroon and gold on March 5 vs. High Point.

Shutdown Stalzer
Junior Jake Stalzer became just the second Elon pitcher to ever win SoCon Pitcher of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks as he was selected as the league’s recipient on March 3.

Stalzer ran his record to 3-0 by tossing Elon’s first complete game shutout since May 2010 with a 5-0 victory over Gardner-Webb on March 2. He struck out a career-best five hitters and scattered three hits. The shutout ran Stalzer’s streak of not allowing an earned run to 23.0 innings. He has allowed just one unearned run all season, in the first inning of his first start.

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.

Sustained Success
Now in its 11th season in the Southern Conference, Elon has finished with one of the league’s top-three records in all but one year – 2004, its first in the league when it placed fourth. The maroon in gold is one of just nine teams nationally to have placed in the top three of its league in at least nine out of the last 10 years.

• Coastal Carolina (Big South)
• Cal State Fullerton (Big West)
• Illinois Chicago (Horizon)
• Bethune-Cookman (MEAC)
• Wichita State (Missouri Valley)
• Army (Patriot)
• Southern (SWAC)
• Oral Roberts (Summit)

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).