ELON, N.C. – With four CAA series remaining on the schedule, the Elon University baseball team will look to move up in the league standings this weekend with a three-game home series against the Towson Tigers. The set is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 15. Game two will be played Saturday at 4 p.m., while the finale will be contested on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Live Coverage
Fans can follow the Phoenix via live stats by going to the Elon baseball schedule page at elonphoenix.com. Twitter updates will be posted on the @ElonScores account during the game. The game can also be heard on WSML 104.5 FM / 1200 AM and through elonphoenix.com. Fans can watch the game for free on Phoenix All-Access.
SAAC Food Drive
Elon’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committe (SAAC) will be hosting a food drive as part of the CAA’s fourth-annual conference-wide Food Drive Challenge from Saturday April 9 through Friday, April 15. SAAC members will be on hand at Friday’s game to collect nonperishable food items and monetary donations to benefit Allied Churches of Alamance County. Fans will receive $1 off of a ticket price for each item donated. With tickets at $5 apiece, five items donated will allow free admission!
Promotions
Friday – SAAC Food Drive
Sunday – Sunday Fun Day
The Series
The Phoenix has faced Towson nine times prior to this weekend’s series, including a three-game series at Towson last season. Elon is 7-2 all-time against the Tigers after winning twice on the road a year ago. The two first met on March 22, 2001 with Elon picking up a 5-4 victory.
About Towson
Towson enters the weekend tied for first in the CAA with a 5-1 league mark (three wins over James Madison and two over Hofstra). Overall, the Tigers sport a 14-20 ledger. The offense is led by Brady Policelli who is hitting .405 with 31 runs scored, 11 doubles, five home runs, 29 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 34 games. As a team, Towson is hitting .275 with 185 runs scored, 59 doubles, 11 triples, 18 home runs and 62 stolen bases. On the mound, the team has a 4.87 ERA and has struck out 197 hitters in 295.2 innings. Opponent are hitting Tiger pitching at a .302 clip.
Picked Off
Through 33 games, Elon has picked off 13 base runners, surpassing last year’s total of seven, which included two by a catcher. Lefty Jordan Barrett leads the way with five while Nick Beaulac, Ryan Conroy, Mason Daniels, Matt Harris, Dimitri Lettas, Derek Pike and Robbie Welhaf each have one as does catcher Austin Leeney.
Pair Near National Stats Lead
Nick Zammarelli and Kyle Jackson are both having solid 2016 seasons and are both near the top of a couple of NCAA statistical rankings (thru games of April 13). Zammarelli currently has 16 doubles to rank fifth in the nation, just three behind the leaders. Jackson’s nine home runs rate 27th, while his 13 doubles rank 28th.
Held Down
In the final two games of Elon’s series at Northeastern, the Phoenix allowed a total of two runs in 2-0 and 3-2 wins. The last time that Elon held opponents to two or fewer runs in back-to-back games was April 1-2, 2014 when the Phoenix defeated N.C. A&T 10-2 and Campbell 2-1.
Elefante Shuts ‘Em Down
Senior Michael Elefante earned his first win of the season with a dominating performance at Northeastern on April 9. Elefante struck out a career-high 11 hitters and allowed no runs on two hits and two walks in 8.0 innings against the Huskies. The 2-0 victory marked Elon’s first shutout since March 2014. The performance earned Elefante CAA Pitcher of the Week honors.
On Deck
Following the weekend series against Towson, Elon will wrap up its home-and-home set with High Point. The Phoenix visits the Panthers for a 6 p.m. contest on Tuesday, April 19.