ELON, N.C. – The Elon University baseball team will close out its 2017 regular season by playing host to the Bowling Green Falcons in a three-game, non-conference series at Latham Park this week. The two will begin the set with a 6 p.m. game on Thursday, May 18, before wrapping up the series with a Friday doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
Following Thursday’s game, members of the team will be shaving their heads in support of the Vs. Cancer Foundation. Prior to game one on Friday, Elon will recognize a 10-player senior class.
Fans can listen to all three games on WSML 104.5 FM and 1200 AM as well as at elonphoenix.com. A free video stream will also be available all weekend through Phoenix All-Access.
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.
Elon and Vs. Cancer
For the sixth straight year, the Elon University baseball team will join forces with much of the collegiate baseball family to help raise money to fight childhood cancer. Players and coacheswill shave their heads in support of this important cause. Over the last four years, Elon’s head-shaving events raised over $123,529 that went toward fighting childhood cancer. The 2016 event brought in $42,431 for this cause, an amount that led the nation.
The Vs. Cancer Foundation works to raise necessary dollars to fund lifesaving childhood cancer efforts. According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts and Figures 2017, childhood cancer is the number one disease killer of kids and an average of 28 children are diagnosed with cancer each day in the United States alone.
To make a donation to support this cause, visit Elon’s Vs. Cancer Donation Page.
Senior Day
On Friday, Elon will honor a 10-player senior class with on-field recognition prior to the 2 p.m. first pitch. This year’s class includes:
Jordan Barrett (Margate, Fla.)
Nick Beaulac (Reston, Va.)
Jamal Clarke (Glen Burnie, Md.)
Danny Crowe (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.)
Travis Docimo (Stamford, Conn.)
Kyle Jackson (Atlanta, Ga.)
Will Nance (Eden, N.C.)
Derek Pike (Independence, Mo.)
Kory Shumate (Greensboro, N.C.)
CJ Young (Coatesville, Pa.)
Pitching Matchup
Thursday – Elon: Fr. RH George Kirby (1-3, 4.72 ERA) vs. BG: Jr. RH Tyler Anderson (2-8, 4.27 ERA)
Friday (1) – Elon: Sr. LH Jordan Barrett (3-4, 3.65 ERA) vs. BG: Jr. RH Zac Carey (4-5, 5.75 ERA)
Friday (2) – Elon: So. RH Ryan Conroy (4-6, 4.40 ERA) vs. BG: TBA
Series History
The lone meeting between Elon and Bowling Green came at Latham Park last year as part of the Elon Invitational. The Falcons defeated the Phoenix 6-2 on March 4, 2016.
Nearing (and Passing) 100
Two Phoenix players have passed the 100-hit mark for their Elon careers this season. Sophmore Ryne Ogren reached the 100-hit mark with a double in game one at William & Mary. He now has 130 hits. Senior Kyle Jackson notched his 100th hit in an Elon uniform against High Point and now has 118 hits. Jackson is in his second year with the team.
On the mound, senior Jordan Barrett (in his second season in the maroon and gold) picked up the 100th strikeout of his Elon career by striking out the first batter he faced in game two against James Madison. He’s now at 153 career Ks. Senior Nick Beaulac (in his third year with the team) posted his 100th career strikeout against #20 Wake Forest. He now has 104 for his Elon career. Freshman Kyle Brnovich needs just six strikeouts to reach the 100 mark.
Power Bat
With his 10th home run of the season in game one at Hofstra, senior Kyle Jackson became the first Elon player to hit 10 or more home runs in back-to-back seasons since a trio of players did so in the 2009 and 2010 campaigns (Neal Pritchard, Mike Melillo and Justin Hilt). Jackson homered 12 times in 2016 and has gone deep 12 times in 2017.
Tight Contests
Over the course of the 2017 season, Elon has played a total of 11 one-run games. The Phoenix is just 4-7 in those contests. Of those 11, seven came during CAA play. Elon was just 2-5 in those seven games.
More Honors for Brnovich
After striking out 10 hitters in an 8.0-inning outing in a win over first-place UNCW, freshman right-handed pitcher Kyle Brnovich was recognized as the CAA Rookie of the Week for the third time this season. Brnovich improved to 6-4 on the year, matching the program’s Division I freshman record for wins in a season. The 10 Ks marked the second time this year that Brnovich posted double digit strikeouts.
Brnovich Racking Up the Ks
Freshman righty Kyle Brnovich has struck out 94 hitters during his rookie campaign, the 10th-most ever by an Elon pitcher in a season. It also marks the second-most by an Elon freshman pitcher during the program’s NCAA Division I tenure. The only player with more is Steven Hensley who fanned 96 hitters in 2006.