The fifth-ranked USCB baseball team looks to maintain its spot atop the Sun Conference standings and continue its dominance at home when the Sand Sharks host Webber International for a three-game conference series Friday and Saturday at Richard Gray Sports Complex. The Sand Sharks hold a two-game lead over Keiser for the league lead, while the Warriors are three games back and in third place. USCB has not lost a series this season and is looking to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time all year after dropping the finale of a three-game series at St. Thomas last weekend.
FIN FACTS
• The Sand Sharks are 152-63 all-time at Richard Gray Sports Complex, including an 18-10 mark last season and a 16-1 mark in 2016. The school records for home wins and home winning percentage came in 2010 (26-5, .839).
• USCB's pitching staff has compiled a 2.17 ERA through 36 games, which leads in the NAIA through Wednesday's games. The school record for team ERA is 3.34 set in 2012.
• USCB has racked up the Sun Conference weekly awards in 2016 with Sand Sharks claiming Player of the Week honors five times and Pitcher of the Week honors three times. Junior OF Thomas Estopare (Feb. 15 & April 4), junior C Nick Payne (Feb. 22), senior OF Matt Kianka (March 7), and junior OF/DH Kal Davis (March 28) each have earned Player of the Week honors, while senior LHP John Gora (Feb. 22 & April 4) and junior RHP Julio De Pena (Feb. 29) have been named Pitcher of the Week.
• The Sand Sharks have been aggressive on the bases, ranking 11th in the nation (through Wednesday) in stolen bases per game (2.306), 12th in stolen bases (83) and 17th in steal attempts per game (2.778). Senior OF Matt Kianka leads the team with 18 stolen bases, followed by junior OF Thomas Estopare with 13 and senior OF John Cloyd with 12.
MILESTONE WATCH
• With 43 hits this season, junior 3B Brandon Joyce has 126 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 29 walks this season and has 79 in his career, surpassing RJ Neal (67) as the program's all-time leader.
• Senior RHP Blake Drew has six saves this season and 14 in his two-year USCB career, making him the program's single-season and all-time leader. 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 fourth with 18 steals, three shy of Larry Perry's record set in 2010. He has 28 in his career, good for fifth on the all-time chart.
• Junior DH/OF Kal Davis has seven sacrifice flies this season, breaking Erik Armstrong's (2014) single-season school record.
• Davis has 50 RBIs this season, tied for third on USCB's single-season and seven behind co-leaders Ashly Morris (2015) and Brandon Collins (2010).
BY THE NUMBERS
4 – Senior OF Matt Kianka has gone hitless only four times this season and only twice in the past 34 games.
35 – The Sand Sharks have turned 35 double plays in 36 games this season.
.351 – USCB's .351 team batting average ranks sixth in the NAIA and is on pace to break the single-season school record of .343 in 2010.
SCOUTING WEBBER INTERNATIONAL
The Warriors have won four straight and seven of their last eight, including a 10-1 win over No. 19 Keiser on Wednesday, and they've outscored the opposition 50-7 during the four-game winning streak. Catcher Ramon Sanchez paces the offense with a .357 average, three homers, and 24 RBIs. Left-hander Taylor Layner (4-2, 1.81 ERA) anchors the pitching staff and has won his last three starts, allowing three earned runs over 21 1/3 innings over that span.
RELATED LINKS
USCB Schedule and Results
USCB Season Statistics
Sand Shark Baseball Record Book
Sun Conference Baseball Standings
