FIN FACTS
»» The USCB baseball team continues Sun Conference play with a three-game series against visiting Warner this weekend at Richard Gray Sports Complex. The Sand Sharks are 156-68 all-time at home.
»» The Sand Sharks swept a three-game Sun Conference series at Florida Memorial last weekend, outscoring the Lions 41-4 in the series. USCB set school records for runs (23) and hits (25) in the final game of the series.
»» USCB swept the Sun Conference weekly honors Monday, as senior RHP Justin Kortessis was named the Pitcher of the Week and junior OF/DH Bobby Wenthe earned Player of the Week honors.
»» The Sand Sharks entered the season ranked No. 18 in the NAIA Baseball Coaches Top 25 Poll (see bottom right) after finishing the 2016 campaign ranked 13th, matching USCB's highest preseason ranking ever. The Sand Sharks also were ranked 18th entering the 2011 campaign.
»» Senior 1B/RHP Justin Kortessis was named the No. 13 pro prospect in the NAIA by Perfect Game last month. Kortessis was 7-0 with a 1.86 ERA in 15 appearances (six starts) for the Sand Sharks last season and is 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts this season. He has compiled 19 strikeouts in 13 innings in 2017.
»» Senior OF Kal Davis has reached base in 15 consecutive at-bats spanning the past four games. Davis ranks eighth in the NAIA in batting average (.625) and sixth in hits per game (2.143).
»» Junior OF/DH Bobby Wenthe leads the Sand Sharks in home runs (3) and RBIs (17) and ranks third in the NAIA in RBIs per game (2.429).
»» Senior CF Thomas Estopare has reached base in 41 consecutive games dating to last season, while senior OF Kal Davis has reached safely in 31 straight.
»» Senior OF Kal Davis, senior 3B Brandon Joyce and junior OF/DH Bobby Wenthe have reached base in all seven games this season, while senior OF Thomas Estopare has reached safely in all six games he has played.
»» Junior 3B Brandon Joyce is riding a team-best five-game hitting streak, and senior OF Kal Davis, junior OF/DH Bobby Wenthe and junior OF/DH Alex Murphy are tied for the team lead with four multi-hit games.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
The Royals have won three of their last four games after taking two of three from St. Andrews last weekend. Warner has played five one-run games, going 4-1 in those contests. The Royals have racked up 30 stolen bases – averaging more than two per game – and are batting a respectable .281 as a team, but the pitching staff has struggled to a 6.32 ERA. Broderick Rodocker is one of the Royals' top hitters, batting .317 with 12 RBIs and has also been strong coming out of the bullpen, going 2-0 with a 3.68 ERA in five relief appearances. Outfielder Gerson Sotolongo is batting just .283 but leads the Royals in home runs (2) and RBIs (12) and has swiped four bases.
RELATED LINKS
USCB Schedule and Results
USCB Season Statistics
Sand Shark Baseball Record Book
Sun Conference Baseball Standings
