University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldogs Begin Busy Week on Tuesday at Home vs. USC Upstate
03.28.2016 | Baseball
THE MATCHUP
Teams: Asheville (5-18, 0-6 BSC)
USC Upstate (11-12, 0-0 ASun)
Location: Greenwood Field / Asheville, N.C.
Time: 6:00 p.m.
LIVE VIDEO (BIG SOUTH NETWORK) - LIVE STATS
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville opens a five-game week on Tuesday afternoon when the Bulldogs welcome USC Upstate to Greenwood Field for a 6:00 p.m. start. Asheville is coming off of a weekend conference series at Liberty, while Upstate has won three games in a row but has not played since last Wednesday at home.
Tomorrow night's game will be the first of two scheduled for this spring between the teams, with the Bulldogs traveling to USC Upstate next week.
NOTABLES
Quick Starts: The Bulldogs have scored their fair share of runs early in games. Asheville has tallied 80 of its 174 total runs in the first five innings of games, while 54 runs have been scored in the first three innings alone.
Fresh Faces: Asheville has seen 10 different freshmen see action through the first month of the season, with an even split of five position players and five pitchers. Danny Wilson has started all 22 games, while Carmine Pagano has played in all 22 games with 21 starts and Scott Kobos has 17 starts in 21 appearances. Alex Baratta and Andrew Friedholm have each appeared in 17 games. On the mound, Jordan Carr has made six starts, while Eric Whitecavage has made 12 relief appearances, Austin Fahr and Zach Greene have seven appearances each and Brett Hyers appeared in five games.
Close Games: The Bulldogs are 1-7 in games decided by two runs or less, with six of the last 12 defeats coming by two runs or less.
Eagle Eye, Bulls Eye: As a team, the Bulldogs have drawn 134 walks, first in the Big South in the category and ranking 6th nationally. Asheville also has a knack for getting hit, with its 30 total hit batters this season ranked 47th nationally.
The Right Guy: Pete Guy has one of the best eyes in the country when it comes to the strike zone, according to statistics. Guy leads the country in Base on Balls per game average (1.30) and is ranked second nationally with 30 total base on balls, one behind the national leader (Zack Collins – Miami (31)).
THE ROTATION
Tuesday: Eric Birkland (Jr. RHP, Upstate) vs. Spencer Orr (Jr. LHP, Asheville)
UP NEXT
Following Tuesday's game, the Bulldogs travel to Tennessee on Wednesday night for a 6:00 p.m. contest. Asheville then hosts Presbyterian in a three-game Big South series next weekend, beginning Friday night at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN3.
