No. 16 St. Thomas (27-11, 14-4 TSC) at USCB (15-16, 6-9 TSC)
The University of South Carolina Beaufort baseball team will try to make up some ground in The Sun Conference standings when the Sand Sharks host 16th-ranked St. Thomas for a three-game series Friday and Saturday. It's the Bobcats' first visit to Richard Gray Sports Complex since last year's NAIA National Championship Opening Round, in which St. Thomas beat USCB in the first round before the Sand Sharks came back to hand the Bobcats two losses and advance to the NAIA World Series. USCB is tied for seventh in the conference standings, one game behind sixth-place Northwood and two back of fifth-place Thomas. The top six teams qualify for the Sun Conference Tournament.
LEADING OFF
Date: Friday, March 29, and Saturday, March 30
Time: 2 p.m. Friday, Noon Saturday (DH)
Location: Richard Gray Sports Complex, Hardeeville
LIVE COVERAGE
TV: Friday — The County Channel (Hargray 9/113, Comcast 2, Time Warner 63); Saturday — None
Streaming video: Friday — The County Channel; Saturday — Stretch Internet
Live stats: Stretch Internet
SCOUTING ST. THOMAS
The Bobcats are enjoying another strong season and enter the series alone in second place in The Sun Conference. They've lost two straight this week but claimed two of three at Ave Maria last weekend. St. Thomas ranks 30th in the NAIA in runs per game (6.568) with juniors Ozney Guillen (.432 avg) and Edwin Rolon (.351 avg, 26 RBIs) leading the offense. Junior right-hander Eddie Cody has been the team's top starting pitcher, going 6-0 with a 1.36 ERA in eight starts.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
All-time: STU leads 9-8
Current streak: USCB has won last 2
All-time at USCB: 5-4
Streak at USCB: USCB has won last 2
NOTES
• USCB is 99-39 all-time at Richard Gray Sports Complex. The Sand Sharks are playing their first home games since taking two of three from Georgia Gwinnett on March 1-2.
• USCB ranks 16th in the nation in total triples (10) and 29th in triples per game (0.323), and senior DH/2B Terry McClinton ranks sixth in the nation with four three-baggers.
• Junior LF Blake Cilwick is riding a 13-game hitting streak and leads the team in batting average (.325) and RBIs (28). He is 19-for-52 during the streak, which is five shy of the school record 18-game stretch set by Erik Armstrong bridging the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
• Junior 1B Erik Armstrong (7) needs two home runs to tie Brandon Collins for USCB's career lead.
RELATED LINKS
USCB Baseball Media Guide
Sun Conference Baseball Standings
USCB Sand Sharks on Facebook
USCB Athletics on Twitter
