The USCB baseball team looks to continue its dominance at home and add to the best start in program history when the seventh-ranked Sand Sharks host Brewton-Parker for a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday at Richard Gray Sports Complex. The regional rivals have been evenly matched over the years, entering this season with the all-time series tied 12-12, but USCB outscored the Barons 39-1 in a doubleheader sweep earlier this season.
FIN FACTS
• The Sand Sharks are 148-63 all-time at Richard Gray Sports Complex, including an 18-10 mark last season and an 11-1 mark in 2016. The school record for home wins in a season is 26 in 2010.
• USCB has racked up the Sun Conference weekly awards thus far in 2016 with Sand Sharks claiming at least one of the two awards in each of the past four weeks. Junior OF Thomas Estopare (Feb. 15), junior C Nick Payne (Feb. 22), and senior OF Matt Kianka (March 7) each have earned Player of the Week honors, while senior LHP John Gora (Feb. 22) and junior RHP Julio De Pena (Feb. 29) have been named Pitcher of the Week.
• USCB's pitching staff has compiled a 1.93 ERA through 29 games, which ranks second in the NAIA through Sunday's games, trailing only Indiana Tech (1.68 in 18 games).
• The Sand Sharks have been aggressive on the bases, ranking 12th in the nation (through Sunday) in stolen bases (64), 15th in stolen bases per game (2.207) and 20th in steal attempts per game (2.655). Senior OF Matt Kianka leads the team with 16 stolen bases, followed by junior OF Thomas Estopare with 10.
MILESTONE WATCH
• With 34 hits this season, junior 3B Brandon Joyce has 117 in his career, eighth on USCB's all-time list. Next up on his ascent up the chart is Blake Cilwick (155).
• Joyce has drawn 22 walks this season and has 72 in his career, surpassing RJ Neal (67) as the program's all-time leader.
• Senior RHP Blake Drew collected his fifth save of the season and the 13th of his two-year USCB career March 8 at Middle Georgia, adding to his school-record total. Drew set USCB's single-season saves record last year with eight and is also tied for seventh on the all-time list with nine wins, including one this season.
• Senior OF Matt Kianka is moving up USCB's single-season stolen base list and ranks fifth with 16 steals, five shy of Larry Perry's record set in 2010.
• Junior DH/OF Kal Davis has six sacrifice flies this season, tied with Erik Armstrong (2014) for the single-season school record.
BY THE NUMBERS
4 – Senior OF Matt Kianka has gone hitless only four times this season and only twice in the past 27 games.
29 – The Sand Sharks have turned 29 double plays in 29 games this season.
72 – Junior 3B Brandon Joyce has drawn 22 walks this season and has 72 in his career, surpassing RJ Neal (67) for USCB's all-time lead.
SCOUTING BREWTON-PARKER
The Barons have lost six straight and 23 of their last 24 after being swept in a three-game series against Middle Georgia over the weekend. Brandon Bynam, who missed the first games against USCB, leads the team in batting average (.361), doubles (9) and RBIs (16) but is the only everyday player batting over .300. The pitching staff has struggled to a 10.77 ERA, issuing 182 walks in 237 1-3 innings.
RELATED LINKS
USCB Schedule and Results
USCB Season Statistics
Sand Shark Baseball Record Book
Sun Conference Baseball Standings
