Buccaneers, Spiders Ready for Three-Game Series

Friday will mark the beginning of a three-game weekend series between the CSU baseball team and the visiting Richmond Spiders. The first two games of the series, beginning at 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, respectively, will be played at Buccaneer Field while Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale is schedule to be played at Collins Park.

Full Game Notes for Richmond series (March 14-16)

Live Stats
Game One (Friday, March 14 @ 2 p.m.)

Game Two (Saturday, March 15 @ 1 p.m.)

Game Three (Sunday, March 16 @ 1 p.m.)

Series Notes
Richmond leads the all-time series 2-1 over the Buccaneers.

Scouting the Cardinals
Richmond, a preseason No. 2 selection in the Atlantic 10, finished third in the conference last season with a 32-28 record overall (12-9 in A-10 play).

First-year head coach Mark McQueen, the 2003 Collegiate Baseball National Pitching Coach of the Year, takes the Spiders’ helm after 13 years with the program as an assistant coach. He started at UR in 1989, moved to VCU as an assistant from 2001-06 and returned to the Spiders before last season. In all, 24 pitchers coached by McQueen have been drafted, including 16 from Richmond. McQueen is a 1984 graduate of Sam Houston State and began is coaching career at Iowa State in 1987.

Due to either graduation or the draft, Richmond lost five of its top six offensive threats from 2007. A junior last season, 1B Joe Mahoney was among the league leaders in RBIs and homers and was the highest drafted A-10 player He was taken in the sixth round by the Orioles and currently plays with the “A” Aberdeen IronBirds.

The Spiders return three of the top pitchers in the A-10 in Second Team All-Conference starter senior Alex Hale, Second Team All-Conference closer senior Brian Alas and defending A-10 Rookie of the Year lefty Matt Zielinski (pictured). Those three, along with the addition of North Carolina transfers Jared Bard and Brian Farrell, and the return of Rob Berzinskas from injury, should give Richmond one of the deepest staffs in the A-10.

Last Time Out
CHARLESTON, S.C. – CSU’s baseball team recorded a team-high 17 hits, but one Ball State hit made all the difference on Wednesday. The Cardinals’ Wayne Bond belted a solo home run in the top of the 10th inning to help Ball State earn a 9-8 victory at Buccaneer Field. Freshman Derek Smith led the CSU offense, going 3-for-5 with two runs batted in against the Cardinals.

We Want Morian
Since taking over the starting gig at second base nine games ago, junior Kory Morian has cemented his position in the Buccaneer lineup. Batting in the two hole, Morian has accumulated a .469 batting average during the stretch and currently has a seven-game hit streak going. Showing tremendous plate discipline, he has been struck out just four times in the last nine contests. He also have five multi-hit games during the hot streak.

Designated Hitter
Being the designated hitter isn’t just freshman Derek Smith’s position, it’s a role he has become quite comfortable with. He has started 10 consecutive games as the DH and now has a .395 batting average on the season, ranking third on the team. He is tied for first on the squad with 11 runs batted in, as well.

On The List
Junior catch Jake Cox has been named to the 2008 Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award Watch List, given annually to the top division one collegiate catcher. On the season, Cox has an on-base percentage of .419 this season thanks to eight drawn walks. He has thrown out all six runners attempting to steal on him.

On The Horizon
After wrapping up the three-game series with Richmond, the Buccaneers will play just their second away game of the season in their lone midweek contest. CSU will take on The Citadel at 6 p.m. on March 19 at the Bulldogs home field. The Buccaneers will then welcome Presbyterian to two for a three-game series next weekend.