Elon Baseball Opens 2017 Season With Series Against Longwood

ELON, N.C. – The 2017 Elon University baseball season will get underway at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17, as the Phoenix plays host to the Longwood Lancers in game one of a three-game series at Latham Park. The set will continue with a 2 p.m. game on Saturday before concluding with a 1:30 p.m. contest on Sunday afternoon.

GAME NOTES

Tickets
Tickets are available for $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at elonphoenix.com or at the ticket windows at Latham Park beginning one hour prior to first pitch.

Parking
Free parking for baseball games at Latham Park is available in the Ingold Parking Lot adjacent to the stadium. Parking is also available across the stree in the Hunt Softball Parking Lot.

Latham Park Regulations
• Elon reserves the right to remove from Latham Park anyone who is intoxicated, using foul or abusive language or behaving inappropriately.
• In accordance with Elon University policies, alcohol and tobacco products are prohitbited in Latham Park.
• Per league policy, artificial noisemakers of any kind are prohibited in Latham Park.
• In accordance with Elon University policy, pets are not premitted within the gates of Latham Park. Only service animals may be brought into the facility.
• Umbrellas are prohibited inside Latham Park.
• Only student-athletes, officials and authorized personnel are permitted onto the field.
• Gates open 60 minutes prior to first pitch.

Pitching Matchups
Friday – Elon: So. RH Ryan Conroy (4-3, 4.93 in ’16) vs. Longwood: Sr. RH Cody Wager (3-3, 5.59 in ’16)
Saturday – Elon: Jr. RH Robbie Welhaf (0-2, 10.13 in ’16) vs. Longwood: Sr. RH Devin Gould (2-1, 3.10 in ’16)
Sunday – Elon: Fr. RH Kyle Brnovich (N/A) vs. Longwood: Sr. RH Tyler Wirsu (1-1, 5.49 in ’16)

Series History
Elon leads the all-tme series 2-0. The previous two meetings both occured in 1994 with the maroon and gold earning a 10-7 victory at home on April 5 and a 17-6 win at Longwood on April 29.

Preseason Prognostications
In its third season in the CAA, the league’s coaches selected the Phoenix to finish fifth in the preseason poll. Senior CJ Young was honored as a preseason all-CAA selection.

1. UNCW (8)
2. William & Mary (1)
3. College of Charleston
4. Delaware
5. Elon
6. James Madison
7. Northeastern
8. Towson
9. Hofstra

Season Openers
In its 113 baseball seasons, Elon has gone 65-47 (with one unknown result) in season openers. Under Mike Kennedy, the maroon and gold has gone 12-8 in its first game of the season.

Home Openers
Under skipper Mike Kennedy, Elon has posted a record of 14-6 in home openers.

Oh Captain, My Captain
Head coach Mike Kennedy announced prior to the 2017 season that five players will serve as team captains this year. Seniors Jordan Barrett, Danny Crowe and Will Nance will be joined by sophomore Ryne Ogren and red-shirt freshman Cam Devanney as the Phoenix captains in 2017.

Young Opening Day Starter
For just the third time during Elon’s NCAA Division I tenure, a sophomore will make the opening day start. Ryan Conroy gets the nod against Longwood this year. The other two sophomores to earn opening day starts were Jimmy Reyes (2009) and Scott Light (2000).

I Choose Elon
Freshman right-handed pitcher George Kirby had a chance to begin a professional career out of high school after being a 32nd round selection of the New York Mets in the 2016 MLB Draft, but elected to come to Elon. Kirby is the fourth player since the 2010 draft to choose to join the Phoenix instead of turning pro. The others were pitcher David Whitehead (36th round in 2010), pitcher Tyler Manez (32nd round in 2012) and infielder Nick Zammarelli (28th round in 2013).

Tough Slate
Elon’s 2017 schedule features 14 games against teams that participated in NCAA Tournament action a year ago. Of the Phoenix’s 14 non-conference opponents, seven were selected to finish in the top three of their league (or division). Among them were league (or division) preseason favorites in East Carolina (1st AAC), UNCG (1st SoCon), High Point (1st Big South) and North Carolina (1st ACC Coastal Division).