Bucs Baseball Set for Final Home Game; Follow the Action Online

For the 38th and final time of the 2008 season, the CSU baseball team will take the field as the home squad when it squares off with Presbyterian at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The Buccaneers swept the Blue Hose at Buccaneer Field earlier this season, outscoring the visitors 29-9 in three games. CSU will be looking to improve on its 13-24 home record while sweeping the season series versus Presbyterian.

Full Game Notes for May 14 (Presbyterian)

Event Coverage
Live video (Big South Edge, subscription service)

Live stats (GameTracker, free)

Series Notes
After sweeping a three-game series with Presbyterian earlier this season, CSU holds a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series with the Blue Hose. The Buccaneers outscored Presbyterian 29-9 over the course of the weekend, including a 12-0 shutout to clinch the sweep. Freshman Derek Smith had his way with the Blue Hose pitching staff, hitting .615 with three home runs and seven runs batted in during the series.

Scouting the Blue Hose
Offensive struggles have plagued Presbyterian this season, which has been outscored 369-233 in 49 games. As a team, the Blue Hose are hitting just .265 while their opponents are raking at a .323 clip.
Junior Cory Lyda has been one of the bright spots for Presbyterian, leading the team with a .358 batting average, nearly 75 points higher than any of his teammates. His team-best 15 doubles has also helped him post a .503 slugging percentage, which also leads the squad. With 18 runs batted in, he is tied for third among the Blue Hose.
Belting a team-high seven home runs, junior Jared Combs has been the squad’s most prolific power hitter. Having started all 49 games for Presbyterian this season, he has nearly twice as many RBI as anyone else on the squad, recording 33 so far this season.

Last Time Out
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Freshman Keith Hustedt hit a home run in the top of the eighth to pull the CSU baseball team within one, but UNC Asheville scored three in the bottom half to secure an 11-7 win on Sunday. After the Buccaneers won the first two games of the series, the Bulldogs avoided a sweep by winning the finale, despite a late surge by CSU.

The Most Familiar Face
Senior Payton Tweddale, one of only five lefties listed among the 45 relief pitchers on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List, has taken the mound more times than any other pitcher in Buccaneer history. Pitching two innings in relief against UNC Asheville on May 11, Tweddale made his 101st career appearance, breaking the record previously held by Nine Fasulo, who had 100 from 2002 to 2005.

Let’s Get it Started
Junior Mark Perry has been a consistent force in the CSU lineup all season. One of only two players to appear in all 48 games for the Buccaneers this season, Perry has occupied the leadoff spot in the batting order nearly all year. The position is well deserved, thanks to team highs in both batting average (.353) and runs scored (37). He has also driven in runs, tallying 35 RBI so far, which ranks second on the squad.

On a Tear
Going 5-for-9 over the weekend against UNC Asheville, freshman Tom Burkett raised his batting average to .301 on the season, giving the Buccaneers seven players hitting over .300 in the everyday lineup. Burkett reached the plateau in impressive fashion, recording three home runs to help CSU win its second Big South Conference series in its last three chances. Crossing home plate 10 times over the three games, Burkett moved into a tie for second on the team with 31 runs season on the season.

On The Horizon
CSU will play its final Big South Conference series when it travels to Lexington, Va. to take on V.M.I. this weekend. The Bucs will stay in Virginia after the series is over to compete in the conference tournament starting May 20.