The University of South Carolina Beaufort baseball team faces a tough test this weekend, as sixth-ranked Georgia Gwinnett visits Richard Gray Sports Complex for a three-game series. The Sand Sharks are coming off a three-game sweep of Ave Maria last weekend and are 15-8 at home this season. The Grizzlies come in riding a six-game winning streak and have won 13 of their last 14. Because of the chance of rain on Saturday, the original schedule for the weekend has been altered; the teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon Friday and a single game scheduled for noon Saturday.
SCOUTING GEORGIA GWINNETT
The Grizzlies own one of the top offenses in the NAIA, leading the nation in hits per game (11.795), runs per game (9.744) and stolen bases per game (3.487) and ranking third in batting average (.356). Ty Abbott has led the powerful lineup, hitting .462 with 12 doubles, five triples, six homers and 59 RBIs, and Arsenio Watlington (.417, 52 runs, 38 SBs) has been a disruptive force. The pitching staff leads the NAIA in strikeouts (340) and boasts a 4.26 ERA and 11 shutouts.
NOTES
• Georgia Gwinnett's Ty Abbott and USCB's Ashly Morris are tied for the national lead with 66 hits. Morris needs 12 more hits to match Spencer Jackson (78) for the Sand Sharks' single-season record set in 2011. Morris has scored 46 runs this season, seven shy of Larry Perry's school mark set in 2010.
• 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 34 walks, breaking RJ Neal's single-season USCB record of 28 set in 2012.
• Senior SS Ashly Morris has 157 career hits, ranking sixth in USCB history, 12 behind Erik Armstrong for fifth. Morris has scored 106 career runs to move into fifth on USCB's all-time list, three behind Spencer Jackson for fourth.
• USCB head coach Bryan Lewallyn is in his fourth season leading the Sand Sharks and has a 112-81 overall record. Earlier this season, he surpassed Rick Sofield as the program's career leader.
• USCB is 133-60 all-time at home, including a 15-8 mark this season.
• Through Wednesday, USCB ranked third in the NAIA in hits (427), fourth in runs scored (298), fifth in hits per game (11.237), 10th in batting average (.335) and 12th in runs scored per game (7.842).
• Senior RHP Junior Delatorre, the scheduled starter for Game 1, ranks second in USCB history with 15 wins, trailing only Adam Miller (25), and ranks third in strikeouts (169) behind Miller (215) and Michael Heesch (196). Delatorre's 3.21 career ERA is sixth in USCB history.
RELATED LINKS
USCB Season Statistics
Sun Conference Baseball Standings
