Savannah State Next on the Schedule for CSU Baseball

Taking a break from Big South Conference competition, the CSU baseball team will travel to Savannah State to take on the Tigers at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Rain suspended the Buccaneers' game on Tuesday and threatens to derail this mid-week contest, as well. Savannah State is 16-10 after going 1-2 in a series against Bethune-Cookman this weekend, while CSU comes in at 10-15 on the year.

Full Game Notes for April 2 (Savannah State)

Series Notes
CSU leads Savannah State in the all-time series, winning six out of the 10 match ups. The two squads split last season’s series, with each team winning on its home field. Savannah State claimed a 9-3 victory on its home turf, while the Bucs defeated the Tigers 7-2 at Buccaneer Field. In 2006, the Tigers won the season series by taking two out of three games.

Scouting the Tigers
As Savannah State waits for full inclusion in the MEAC, the Tigers have begun to put things together on the field. They have compiled a 16-10 record, going 3-3 combined versus future MEAC foes Maryland-Eastern Shore and Bethune-Cookman. Outscoring opponents 769-741, Savannah State has used the long ball to its advantage, hitting 24 home run on the season while holding the opposite to only 12 dingers.
Brett Pointer, Kyle Wilkerson, and Brandon Javis lead the attack for the Tigers, all with more than 20 runs batted in so far this season. Javis has the highest average among the teams top RBI men, hitting .383 to lead the regular starters.
Michael O’Neil is a likely candidate to get the start on the mound for Savannah State, having made five starts this season, mostly in mid-week contests. He has compiled a 2-1 record with a 2.54 earned run average in 28.1 innings of work. On the season, he has struck out 12 and issued 23 walks.

Last Time Out
RADFORD, Va. – Two Buccaneers hit home runs, but Radford scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning en route to a 12-8 win over the CSU baseball team. Redshirt-freshman Nick Chinners and freshman Taylor Black each belted homers to help the Buccaneers build a six-run lead before the Highlanders stormed back with 10 runs over three innings. Radford won the weekend series three games to two, winning the opener and the finale.

Who’s Your Taylor?
Freshman infielder Taylor Black had just two hits in his first five starts of the season, giving him a .100 batting average and a spot on the Bucs’ bench. But since returning to the starting lineup on March 12, Black has upped his average to .301 on the season and leads the team with 10 doubles. His .521 slugging percentage ranks third on the squad.

In Production
Being a designated hitter can be a difficult adjustment for a player, having to sit on the bench while the others stay loose on the field. But freshman Derek Smith has shown no ill effect in the DH spots, leading the team with a .384 batting average and a 24 runs batted in. Having drawn 10 walks on the season, he ranks second wit a .443 on-base percentage.

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 .380 thanks to 15 drawn walks, which is second on the squad. He has thrown out 12 of 21 runners trying to steal bases on him this season, thwarting .571 percent of the attempts.

On The Horizon
High Point will be in town this weekend play their second Big South Conference series of the season. It will begin at 2 p.m. on Friday with one game before the teams conclude the series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. CSU then has a mid-week game against The Citadel at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Buccaneer Field.