ELON, N.C. – Elon University baseball looks to continue its strong start to league play this weekend as the Phoenix (24-18, 13-2 CAA) hosts Northeastern for a conference series at Latham Park. Friday’s series opener is set for a 6 p.m. start. The teams will then play a 4 p.m. contest on Saturday before closing out with a 1:30 p.m. game on Sunday.
COVERAGE
Fans can listen to the games on the Elon Sports Network from Learfield/IMG College as Taylor Durham will provide play-by-play action. The pregame show begins 15 minutes prior to first pitch. The radio broadcasts can be heard at elonphoenix.com/live and on the TuneIn app. Additionally, the series will be streamed live on Phoenix All-Access through elonphoenix.com/live. Live stats will also be available.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Elon Northeastern Jr. RH Kyle Brnovich (4-3, 3.25) Jr. RH David Stiehl (3-4, 4.63) Jr. RH George Kirby (7-1, 2.64) Jr. LH Sean Mellen (4-1, 1.77) So. LH Jared Wetherbee (5-3, 3.13) R-Jr. RH Kyle Murphy (4-3, 5.62)
THE SERIES
Northeastern holds a slight 8-6 edge in the all-time series. The Huskies (18-21, 8-7) swept the Phoenix in Brookline, Mass. last season. The teams played a doubleheader on April 7, with Game One going to the hosts 7-1. Elon went up 5-4 in Game Two, but Northeastern scored a run in the seventh and another in the eighth to secure the comeback win. The red and black then took the finale 9-3 on April 8.
Elon and Northeastern met again in an elimination game at the conference tournament on May 25. With the score tied at four entering the ninth, Northeastern’s Charlie McConnell drew a one out walk, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Following a two-out intentional walk, Scott Holzwasser lined a single to right to drive home the winning run and bring Elon’s season to an end.
ABOUT NORTHEASTERN
The Huskies hosted Charleston last weekend, falling to the Cougars 2-1. Northeastern took the opener 7-0 on Friday, April 19, but the CofC bounced back with a 7-5 decision in game two. The visitors then won the rubber match 7-1 on Sunday, April 21.
Corey DiLoreto and Ian Fair are batting .321 and .305, respectively to lead the team at the plate. Right behind them Jake Farrell with a .294 clip and a team-high 18 extra-base hits and 30 RBIs. Fair and Farrell are the deep threats with six home runs each. Holzwasser (.231) has stolen safely in 21-of-23 attempts and Jeff Costello (.285) has swiped in 16-of-20 attempts. As a team, the Huskies are batting .257.
David Stiehl, who is expected to get the start on Friday, was named the CAA Pitcher of the Week on Monday after throwing a complete-game, three-hit shutout in Northeastern’s 7-0 victory over CofC. The junior had a no-hitter through 5.1 innings and finished with six strikeouts and no walks. He faced just 29 batters and only allowed one to advance past first base. Sean Mellen will get the start on Saturday and Kyle Murphy will get the nod in the series finale. Andrew Misiaszek owns a 1-2 record with a 1.90 ERA and seven saves. Northeastern’s pitching staff has a collective 4.69 ERA while opposing batters are hitting .255.
BEST START TO LEAGUE PLAY
The Phoenix set a new program record with last Sunday’s win at W&M. Elon’s 13-2 start to conference play is the program’s best start in its Division I era. The 2008 squad went 12-2 when the Phoenix was a member of the SoCon. The sweep of the Trive was also the fourth of the season and third in conference play. The maroon and gold also won its three league games against James Madison on March 29-31 and against Delaware on April 13-14. Elon has yet to drop a league game at home this season.
DEVANNEY TABBED CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cam Devanney was named the CAA’s Co-Player of the Week on Monday after batting 7-for-18 (.389) with a home run, two triples, three doubles, seven RBIs, four runs, and two walks last week. He collected a hit in all four of Elon’s games to raise his average to .310 for the season. The redshirt-junior led the maroon and gold in the series opener against William & Mary with a 3-for-5 effort as he tripled, doubled twice, drove in three runs, scored once, and drew a walk. He then went 2-for-6 with a triple and two RBIs in the series finale. On defense, he posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on the week with four putouts and eight assists in 12 chances. He also helped turn four double plays.
ROBERTS SETS CAREER HIGHS
Jack Roberts set career highs for pitching on Wednesday versus North Carolina A&T. The Frederick, Md. native tossed 4.0 innings of relief and struck out five Aggie batters. While he held the visitors scoreless, N.C. A&T would end up with the win, 3-2.
CURRENT ELON STREAKS
Devanney enters the weekend with a 10-game hit streak and has also reached safely in 15 consecutive games. Ty Adcock is right behind him with a 13-game reached base streak and Nick Cicci is looking to crack double-digits with a nine-game reached base streak.
ELON IN THE RANKINGS
Elon is currently ranked 19th in the country in hit by pitch and leads the CAA in home runs (34), home runs per game (0.81), on base percentage (.370), runs (268), sacrifice flies (21), and scoring (6.4).
George Kirby remains the national leader in strikeout-to-walk ratio (15.20), is third in walks allowed per nine innings (0.70), fourth in complete games (3), 11th in victories (7), and 20th in WHIP (0.88). Devanney ranks fourth with seven sac flies, while Tyler Stanley is 10th in hit by pitch (16) and 16th in hit by pitch per game (0.40). Joe Satterfield is the conference leader in batting average (.372), hits (58), hits per game (1.38), and on base percentage (.487). Adcock is first in the league with 46 RBIs and 1.10 RBIs per game, while Dean McCarthy is atop the CAA standings with 21 appearances.
UP NEXT
Elon wraps up its six-game home stand next Tuesday, April 30 with the second game in a home-and-home series versus High Point. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Latham Park. The Phoenix won a March 5 meeting 10-8 in High Point, N.C.