University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Host Defending CAA Champions, No. 22 College of Charleston for Three-Game Series
4/16/2015 3:02:00 PM | Baseball
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware baseball team resumes its Colonial Athletic Association schedule Friday as the Blue Hens host CAA-leading and No. 22 ranked College of Charleston to begin a three-game set with the Cougars.
Jim ShermanDespite a sub-.500 CAA record, Delaware comes into this weekend's series playing some of its best baseball of the season. The Blue Hens have won four games in a row and have scored at least five runs in eight straight contests.
Diaz Nardo and Gary Jones lead the Hens with four home runs on the season, while Nardo also has a team-high of 22 RBI. Norm Donkin has been a force at the plate and on the base paths as the senior leads the team with eight doubles, three triples, and nine stolen bases.
College of Charleston (25-8, 11-1 CAA) brings the top offense and top pitching staff in the CAA to Bob Hannah Stadium this weekend. The Cougars have a .315 team batting average, which is the best in the CAA and the seventh best nationally. Charleston also leads the CAA with 36 home runs, 222 RBI, 364 hits, and 7.3 runs per game this season. Carl Wise leads the CAA with 38 runs scored and 44 RBI, while Nick Pappas has a conference-high 16 doubles.
Charleston starter Taylor Clarke, who will get the nod in game one, has struck out 81 batters this season, which is the most in the CAA and second-most in the NCAA. Clarke is second in the conference, behind UD's Ron Marinaccio, with a 1.88 ERA. Clarke, Brandon Glazer, and Nathan Helvey represent the top three winning pitchers in the CAA. The Charleston pitching staff has compiled a CAA-best 3.57 ERA.
Adam Davis will start game one for the Blue Hens, while Ron Marinaccio will get the nod for Delaware in game two. Chad Martin will start game three of the series Sunday.
HEN SCRATCHINGS
· The Blue Hens and Cougars first met in 1994 and Charleston leads the all-time series 5-1 including a sweep last year in the first meeting between the two programs as CAA foes.
· Charleston is ranked No. 22 the Baseball America rankings, while the Cougars come in at No. 30 in the Collegiate Baseball poll.
· Zach Lopes has hit safely in 18 of the last 19 games.
· Delaware has a 7-3 record at home this season.
· Joe Giacchino and Tyler Powell have started all 26 games.
· Delaware's team ERA of 4.88 is third in the CAA, while UD's team batting average of .298 is also third best in the conference.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Joe Wirth | jwirth@udel.edu (email) | 302-831-6519 (office) | 484-883-2804 (cell)
