University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Travel to Williamsburg and Battle Tribe in Weekend CAA Series
4/6/2012 5:10:00 PM | Baseball
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The University of Delaware Blue Hens baseball team travels south to play the College of William & Mary Tribe in a Colonial Athletic Association, weekend series that will run through Sunday at W&M's Plumeri Park.
The action begins on Friday, April 6, with first pitch set for 7 p.m. Saturday's game will have a 4 p.m. start while Sunday's finale of the series has a 1 p.m. game time.
UD enters the weekend series with a 14-15 overall mark and is in a three-way tie with William & Mary and Towson in third place in the Colonial Athletic Association standings with a 7-5 record. The Tribe has an overall record of 21-11 through 32 games this season.
SCOUTING WILLIAM & MARY
The Tribe (21-11, 7-5 CAA), who were ranked tied for seventh with Delaware in the Colonial Athletic Association's preseason coach's poll, enters the weekend series with the Blue Hens on a four-game winning streak after mid-week victories over Maryland-Eastern Shore and Longwood. William & Mary won its last CAA series, with two victories over Towson last weekend. From February 28 through March 18, the Tribe won 13 of the 15 games played during that span and has played the most games out of any school in the conference with 32 games played.
William and Mary's pitching staff leads the CAA in several categories. William & Mary has the lowest team ERA, 2.33 (72 ER/278.1 IP) in addition to having the most shutouts (4). The Tribe's staff has allowed the fewest hits (218) and walks (65) in the conference (65). Junior right-hander Brett Koehler and senior right-hander Matt Davenport pace the W&M pitching staff with four wins apiece. Davenport also leads the CAA in strikeouts (45), innings pitched (59.0), complete games (3) and opponent batting average (.171). Reliever John Farrell is tied for second in the CAA with seven saves.
The Tribe's offense ranks in the top five in the CAA in batting average (.280), doubles (58), home runs (15), RBI (174), runs (205) and stolen bases (57). Sophomore Ryan Lindemuth leads the offense with 43 hits while junior Ryan Brown is nipping at his heels with 37 base knocks. Brown (34) and Lindemuth (33) are in the CAA top five in runs scored. Freshman infielder Michael Katz (27) and Lindemuth (29) rank in the CAA top five in RBI. Katz also has four of the team's 15 home runs on the season. Senior Tadd Bower ranks in the top five in the CAA with 19 walks, nine doubles and a .461 on-base percentage. William & Mary has three players, Brown, Lindemuth and freshman Josh Smith, who have reached double-digits in stolen bases.
DELAWARE TIDBITS
The Blue Hens (14-15, 7-5 CAA) makes their second-straight Colonial Athletic Association weekend road trip to Virginia following a sweep of James Madison last weekend. Last weekend's CAA road-series sweep was the first for the Blue Hens since 2007, when UD swept Northeastern in Boston. The Blue Hens had their season-long, four-game winning streak snapped on the heels of Tuesday's 3-2 loss to St. Joseph's in the semifinals of the Liberty Bell Classic.
Delaware's pitching staff sits fourth in the CAA with a team ERA of 4.27 (118 ER/249.0 IP) through 29 games played this season. UD's staff sits in the CAA top five in saves (10), strikeouts (201), opponent batting average (.268). Junior reliever Devon Pearson ranks fifth in the country and leads the CAA with a 0.89 ERA (3 ER/30.1 IP). Stephen Richter, who earned a save in every game last week, now sits fourth in the CAA with five saves.
UD enters the weekend series with the 10th ranked team batting average of .253 (241-for-951). Junior DJ Long sits in the top five of the CAA in doubles (11) and walks (19). Long (at right) is the only Delaware bat with double-digit extra-base hits (11 doubles, 1 triple and 2 home runs). Redshirt freshman Tyler Powell paces Hens offense with a .346 (28-for-81) batting average. The duo of redshirt junior Nick Ferdinand and Powell are also the only UD batters with .400-plus on base and slugging percentages. Ferdinand enters the series riding a nine-game hitting streak while sophomore Jimmy Yezzo also owns a six-game streak for the Blue Hens.
DELAWARE VS. WILLIAM & MARY SERIES HISTORY
Delaware and William & Mary played their first baseball game in 1908 with the Blue Hens claiming a 9-6 victory over the Tribe. The Blue Hens trail the Tribe, 19-20 in the 39 games played. Entering this season the Blue Hens are 8-9 in road games while the Tribe are 14-4 at home. In 2011, UD lost the season series, 1-2, to W&M and have not won a series against the Tribe since sweeping them during the 2007 season.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Game One – Friday, 7:00 p.m. (Live Stats)
UD – Eric Young, Sr. RHP [3-2, 3.80 ERA (20 ER/47.1 IP), 35 SO]
Young makes his eighth start of the season for the Blue Hens in game one of the series after earning a no-decision in his last start on March 30, at James Madison. Held the Dukes to four runs (three earned) on seven hits, three walks and three strikeouts in 6.1 innings on the hill. The right-hander leads Delaware's pitching staff with 35 strikeouts. He ranks in the CAA top five in opponent batting average (.229) and innings pitched (47.1). During the week of 2/28 he was named CAA Pitcher of the Week.
W&M – Matt Davenport [4-2, 1.37 ERA (9 ER/59.0 IP), 45 SO]
Davenport ranks second in the CAA with a 1.37 ERA (9 ER/59.0 IP) after he was handed a tough loss in last start on March 30 vs. Towson. The right-hander tossed 8.1 innings on the mound and held the Tigers to two earned runs on five hits, one walk and eight strikeouts. In four CAA starts for the Tribe, Davenport has posted a 2-2 record with a 1.62 ERA (6 ER/33.1 IP) and 26 strikeouts. During the week of 3/19 he was named CAA Pitcher of the Week.
Game Two – Saturday, 4:00 p.m. (Live Stats)
UD – Corey Crispell, r-Sr., RHP [4-1, 2.09 ERA (11 ER/47.1 IP), 28 SO]
Crispell enters weekend play with the second-most victories in the CAA (4) and makes his seventh start (ninth appearance) for the Blue Hens this season. Won his last start on April 1, at James Madison after the righty held the Dukes in seven innings on the bump to three earned runs on seven hits, two walks and two strikeouts. He ranks in the CAA top five with a 2.09 ERA (11 ER/47.1 IP) and in opponent batting average (.229).
W&M – RHP Brett Koehler [4-0, 1.76 ERA (6 ER/30.2 IP), 18 SO]
Koehler, a preseason All-CAA selection, suffered a won in his last start on April 1 vs. Towson where he yielded two runs (one earned) on four hits and five strikeouts. Has posted a 2-0 record with a 0.93 ERA (1 ER/9.2 IP) in four CAA games (three starts).
Game Three – Sunday, 1:00 p.m. (Live Stats)
UD – RHP Chad Kuhl, So., RHP [1-4, 4.42 ERA (18 ER/36.2 IP), 32 SO]
Kuhl makes his eighth start of the season after he received a no-decision in UD's win over James Madison on April 2 in Harrisonburg. Kept the Dukes in check after he tossed six innings and yielded three runs (one earned) on four hits, two walks and six strikeouts. The right-hander averages 7.95 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.
W&M – LHP Matt Wainman [3-3, 3.66 ERA (16 ER/39.1 IP), 28 SO]
Won his last start on March 31 vs. Towson as the left-hander surrendered two earned runs on three hits, four walks and four strikeouts in five innings on the mound. Wainman has posted a 1-2 record with a 4.58 ERA (10 ER/19.2 IP), 16 SO in four CAA starts.
