Elon Men’s Baseball To Host UMBC Monday, Liberty Tuesday

ELON, N.C. — After a weekend in Myrtle Beach, S.C., the Elon baseball team returns home to Latham Park to begin a five-game homestand on Monday at 4 p.m. against the UMBC Retreivers. The Phoenix will then host Liberty at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on WSOE 89.3 FM. That game will also be a Take a Kid to the Game day where fans can purchase one ticket at normal price ($5) and receive a free admission for a child (limit one child per adult).

Probable Starting Pitchers
Tuesday vs. UMBC
Elon – RH Matt Harris (0-0, 2.25 ERA)
UMBC – RH Michael Gomez (0-0, 7.36 ERA)

Wednesday vs. Liberty
Elon – TBA
Liberty – LH Blake Fulghum (1-2, 3.32 ERA)

Inside the Series
Elon is 1-0 all-time against UMBC after claiming a 3-1 victory over the Retreivers on Saturday in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The Phoenix has faced Liberty 24 times prior to Tuesday’s tilt. Elon is 9-15 against the Flames. The teams first met for three games in 1976 and last played a home-and-home set in 2010. In 2010, Elon won both games and, in fact, has won four of the last five and three straight in the series.

Countdown to 600: 587
Already Elon’s all-time winningest coach, skipperMike Kennedy is closing in on career victory number 600. Kennedy currently has 587 wins to his credit, all in the maroon and gold.

Walkin’ Ain’t Easy
In its three games at the Chanticleer Classic, Elon pitchers combined to issue just two walks. It marked the fewest number of walks allowed by Phoenix hurlers since 2004. Elon did not issue a walk in either of its first two games of the weekend – wins over Minnesota and UMBC.

Stalzer’s Streak Snapped
Junior left-handed pitcher Jake Stalzer began his career in the maroon and gold with an impressive streak. Stalzer did not allow an earned run in 23.1 innings to start the year. The first earned run he allowed came in the first inning of his fourth start of the season (at Coastal Carolina on March 9).

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.

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).