The University of South Carolina Beaufort baseball team aims to get back to its winning ways in Sun Conference play when the Sand Sharks host Embry-Riddle for a three-game series Friday and Saturday at Richard Gray Sports Complex. Both teams are fighting to move up the conference standings, with USCB in fourth place, one game ahead of the fifth-place Eagles. The Sand Sharks were swept in a three-game series at No. 7 Northwood last weekend while Embry-Riddle rebounded from its own sweep at the hands of the Seahawks to take two of three from St. Thomas last weekend. Both teams received votes in this week's NAIA Top 25 with USCB 26th with 96 points and Embry-Riddle 36th with 13 points.
SCOUTING EMBRY-RIDDLE
The Eagles are out of the Top 25 for the first time since 2006 but have won six of their last eight games. Embry-Riddle's strong pitching staff is anchored by All-America left-hander Stetson Nelson (2-2, 2.40 ERA) and right-handed reliever Zac Grotz (5-1, 1.21 ERA, 5 saves). The Eagles rank sixth in the nation with 222 strikeouts with right-hander Tyler Cyr (2-2, 3.63 ERA) leading the way with 47 in 39 2/3 innings. The offense got off to a slow start to the season, but outfielder Liam Goodall has put up impressive numbers, hitting .415 with 22 RBIs, 23 runs scored and 14 stolen bases without being caught.
NOTES
• Junior RHP Blake Drew has seven saves in his first season with the Sand Sharks, setting USCB's single-season record. Drew's seven saves are tied for second on USCB's career list behind Kyle McCullough (11).
• Senior 1B Johnny Cole leads USCB with six home runs and has drawn 30 walks, breaking RJ Neal's single-season USCB record of 28 set in 2012.
• Senior SS Ashly Morris has 145 career hits, ranking seventh in USCB history, and Morris has scored 99 career runs to move into sixth on USCB's all-time list.
• USCB head coach Bryan Lewallyn is in his fourth season leading the Sand Sharks and has a 109-77 overall record. Earlier this season, he surpassed Rick Sofield as the program's career leader.
• USCB is 130-57 all-time at home, including a 12-5 mark this season.
• Through Wednesday, USCB led the NAIA in hits (354), ranked third in runs scored (259), third in hits per game (11.419), sixth in runs scored per game (8.355) and ninth in batting average (.339). Morris leads the nation in hits (54) and total bases (83) and ranks second in runs scored (39).
• Senior RHP Junior Delatorre, the scheduled starter for Game 1, is tied for second in USCB history with 14 wins, trailing only Adam Miller (25) and ranks third in strikeouts (156) behind Miller (215) and Michael Heesch (196).
RELATED LINKS
USCB Season Statistics
Sun Conference Baseball Standings
