Bulldogs Celebrate Seniors with Key Big South Weekend Series

THE MATCHUP

Teams: Asheville (16-31, 5-13 BSC)

Gardner-Webb (31-18, 9-9 BSC)

Location: Greenwood Field / Asheville, N.C.

Times: 6:00 p.m. Friday / 3:00 p.m. Saturday / 1:00 p.m. Sunday

Friday: LIVE VIDEO (BSN) - LIVE STATS - TWITTER

Saturday: LIVE AUDIO (AVL) - LIVE STATS - TWITTER

Sunday: LIVE VIDEO (BSN) - LIVE STATS - TWITTER

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville wraps up its 2016 home schedule with a critical three-game Big South Conference series this weekend when the Bulldogs host Gardner-Webb on Senior Weekend in Asheville.

Asheville currently sits one game out of a spot in the Big South Tournament with six games remaining, just one game behind Radford, who the Bulldogs close the regular season with next weekend on the road.

Friday and Sunday's games will be available on the Big South Network, while there will be an audio stream available for Saturday's game. Saturday will mark Senior Day, as the Bulldogs will honor their seven seniors – including having four seniors participate in graduation and receive their degrees from UNC Asheville Chancellor Mary K. Grant prior to the game. Senior Day activities will begin at 2:40 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

NOTABLES

Offensive Explosion: Asheville's 12 runs on Wednesday in its win over UNCG marked just the third time all season Asheville recorded six or more extra-base hits (Feb. 26 Monmouth, Feb. 27 Rider), while the 12 runs are the third-most the Bulldogs have scored this season, behind 19 runs (Feb. 27 Rider) and 22 runs (April 3 Presbyterian).

Guy Streaking: Pete Guy takes a 32 game on-base streak into the week's schedule, the second-longest in the Scott Friedhom-era behind former Bulldog Hunter Bryant's 34 game on-base streak last season. Guy has started and played in all 47 games to date this season.

The Walkman is Broken: Pete Guy did not record a walk in either of the Bulldogs' midweek games, just the second time all season he's gone back-to-back games without a walk (other – Feb. 20/21 Ohio, Feb. 26 Monmouth). Guy entered the week tied for second in the country in total base on balls with 52 (two back of the national leaders) and was second in the country in base on balls per game average (1.16 per), just behind the national leader (Zack Collins, Miami (FL) – 1.21 per). He also sits in fourth nationally in total times hit by pitch (18).

Free Baseball: The Bulldogs have had no issues playing extra innings this season, compiling a 3-1 record in extra innings. Two of the three extended wins have come at home (vs. N.C. Central and ETSU, while Asheville also won at BSC opponent Charleston Southern.

The Key to Success: The Bulldogs have tallied six or more runs in 15 of their 16 wins this season, while they are just 1-24 when scoring five or less runs per game.

Looking at the Opponent: After playing just two games in a 13-days, Gardner-Webb is back in action this weekend on the road – a place that it has not had success this season. GWU is just 4-13 in games away from home to date, and in Big South play is only 2-7 in road games. Gardner-Webb does not have a road series win this season.

Meeting of the Bulldogs: Asheville has beaten the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs five times in the last eight meetings, including two wins in both 2014 and 2015. The two teams' split a pair of games in Boiling Springs back in 2013, with the finale cancelled due to bad weather.

THE PROBABLES

Friday: Danny Wilson (Fr. RHP, AVL) vs. Brad Haymes (Sr. RHP, GWU)

Saturday: Jordan Carr (Fr. LHP, AVL) vs. Jeremy Walker (Jr. RHP, GWU)

Sunday: Jordan Fulbright (So. LHP, AVL) vs. Ryan Boelter (Sr. LHP, GWU)

UP NEXT

Following the home weekend series, Asheville wraps up the regular season with a Tuesday afternoon road contest at Tennessee Tech (3:00 p.m.) before closing Big South Conference play with a three-game set beginning Thursday at Radford.