Elon Baseball Hosts #20 Wake Forest Friday, In Winston-Salem This Weekend

ELON, N.C. – This weekend sees the Elon University baseball program hosting #20 Wake Forest on Friday, Feb. 22 for a 5 p.m. meeting at Latham Park. The maroon and gold will then head west to Winston-Salem for a 12 p.m. neutral-site contest against Quinnipiac on Saturday, Feb. 23 before wrapping up the weekend with a second game versus Wake Forest on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at David F. Couch Ballpark.

Tickets for this Friday’s game can be purchased at elonphoenix.com or by calling 336-278-6750.

PITCHING MATCHUPS

Elon                                     Wake Forest
Jr. RH Kyle Brnovich (1-0, 1.59 ERA)     Jr. RH Colin Peluse (0-0, 1.50 ERA)
Elon                                     Quinnipiac
Jr. RH George Kirby (1-0, 0.00 ERA)      Sr. RH Tyler Poulin (0-1, 14.54 ERA)
Elon                                     Wake Forest
R-Jr. RH Mason Daniels (1-0, 1.50 ERA)   So. LH Jared Shuster (1-0, 1.50 ERA)

THE SERIES
The Demon Deacons (2-2) hold a 37-60 edge in the all-time series that dates back to 1909. It’s a little more even during head coach Mike Kennedy’s time, with Wake Forest slightly ahead, 18-16. The teams split their two meetings last season, with each ball club winning on the road. Elon won in Winston-Salem, 10-9 on March 27 as a three-run seventh inning broke a 7-7 tie. Elon then hosted Wake Forest on May 2, with the Deacs scoring in each of the first four innings to pick up an 8-5 decision.

Saturday’s game versus Quinnipiac will be the first meeting between the Phoenix and the Bobcats (0-2).

ABOUT WAKE FOREST
Wake Forest is coming off a 9-3 loss at Liberty on Wednesday. Bobby Seymour is batting .400 (6-for-15) with a team-high six hits and six RBIs to lead the Old Gold and Black at the plate. Following him are Michael Ludowig (.364), Chris Lanzilli (.313), and Shane Muntz (.300).

On the bump, Morgan McSweeney (1-0, 0.00 ERA) and Jared Shuster (1-0, 1.50 ERA) have combined for 18 of the team’s 35 strikeouts. Colin Peluse (0-0, 1.50 ERA) is expected to get the start on Friday, while Shuster will pitch on Sunday.

The Deacs are ranked #20 in the latest D1 Baseball Top 25 Poll and appear at #27 on the NCWBA Poll.

ABOUT QUINNIPIAC
Quinnipiac is in search of its first win of the season after falling 12-5 and 8-2 at UNCG on Feb. 15-16. A third game against the Spartans was canceled as the weather would not cooperate. Dylan Lutz and Samuel LaChance are both hitting .300 to pace the Bobcat offense.

Chris Enns (0-1, 9.00 ERA) and Tyler Poulin (0-1, 14.54) both started the team’s games in Greensboro, N.C. Poulin, who is expected to start on Saturday, was tagged for seven runs, all of them earned, on nine hits and and three walks in the season opener. The senior right-hander went 4.1 innings and struck out four Spartans.

WEEKLY HONOR
George Kirby was named the CAA Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday for his outing last Saturday, Feb. 16. It marked the first weekly honor of his career. The Rye, N.Y. native started the second game in Elon’s Opening Weekend series versus Lafayette as the Phoenix blanked the Leopards, 8-0. He pitched 6.2 innings and allowed two hits with no walks while racking up 10 strikeouts to earn the win.

POSTPONED GAME
Elon was scheduled to play its first road game of the season on Wednesday at N.C. A&T, but the weather had other plans. With it raining all day, the game against the Aggies was postponed and will be made up at a later date.

UP NEXT
After this weekend, Elon has a midweek appointment in Greensboro, N.C. with East Carolina. The Pirates (3-1) will host the Phoenix for a 4 p.m. contest Wednesday, Feb. 27 at Clark-LeClair Stadium.