MILLERSVILLE VS. MANSFIELD |
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| #3 Millersville Marauders
2015 Record: 15-1
Coach: Jon Shehan, 9th season
Roster | Schedule | Statistics |
| Mansfield Mountaineers
2015 Record: 8-6
Coach: Harry Hillson, 30th season
Roster | Schedule | Statistics |
| Game Information
Date: Friday, March 18, 2016, 1 p.m.
Location: Millersville, Pa. (Cooper Park)
Live Stats | Live Audio
Twitter | Instagram | #HoistTheColors
Series vs. Mansfield: 72-87
Last Season: 4-0
First Meeting: 1963 (W, 12-1)
Last Meeting: 2016 (W, 5-3)
Last 10: 9-1
Shehan vs. Millersville: 22-10 |
WEEKEND NOTES• Millersville baseball has run its record to 15-1 and holds the No. 3 ranking in Division II according to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, which is voted on by coaches. The Marauders are off to the best start in program history and the No. 3 ranking is the highest ever. Friday's doubleheader with Mansfield starts the quest for a fourth consecutive PSAC Eastern Division championship. Over the last three championship-winning seasons, the Marauders are 61-19 in division play and 34-9 in home games against PSAC East foes. Millersville has won the division five times since 2008. No PSAC team has won four consecutive division crowns since Slippery Rock took the West each year from 1995-1999. The last East team to perform the feat was Mansfield from 1992-96.
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Tyler Orris won the PSAC East Athlete of the Week award after going 10-for-17 at the plate with five walks, four steals, five runs and a perfect 24-for-24 in the field. It was his second career win, having won it last season on April 27. Orris has reached base in all 16 games this season and 22 consecutive dating back to 2015. He ranks 15th in the league in average. He's produced 10 multi-hit games, and has at least two hits in five of his last six. His 14 steals is tied for first in the PSAC. Orris is 17-for-36 (.472) when leading off an inning. Orris also leads the league in assists with 65--on pace to lead the league for a fourth consecutive season.
• Orris may be red-hot at the plate, but no one has been better than catcher
Mitch Stoltzfus. Stoltzfus' .558 batting average is far-and-away the best in the PSAC with Slippery Rock's Tyler Walters ranking second at .485. Stoltzfus leads the league in slugging percentage and on base percentage and ranks second in home runs with six. He owns a 13-game hitting streakand drove in six runs in five games last weekend.
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Jeremy Musser is also streaking with a nine-game hitting streak. Musser went 9-for-19 in last weekend's series and is hitting .471 during his streak. He's had at least two hits in six of his last eight games.
• Millersville's 2.38 team ERA ranks first in the PSAC. A pair of freshmen,
Kyle Peterson and Mick Mock have combined for 14 innings without allowing a run, striking out 19 in that span while allowing just six hits. The bullpen has been solid, posting a 4-0 record and have allowed only six earned runs over 42.2 innings of work. Four different players have earned at least one save.
• Game one starter is expected to be
Brandon Miller, who is 3-0 with 0.63 ERA through four starts. Miller has 27 strikeouts in 28.2 innings while walking just two. The game two starter is likely freshman left-hander
Cordell Shannon. Shannon has tossed at least five innings in each of his four appearances and has not given up more than three runs in any game. He also has struck out 22 to just three walks.
SERIES HISTORY• Millersville has won eight in a row over Mansfield. All four games were played at Cooper Park last season with Millersville winning by a combined score of 32-5. Mansfield one at least one game at Cooper Park each season from 2009-2013.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS• Mansfield is off to an 8-6 start that includes a win over Mercyhurst in the season opener. The team is hitting .327 with Wes Custer hitting .480. Zephan Kash has nine extra-base hits with four homers and a team-leading 15 RBIs.
• An area of concern for Mansfield may be its defense, where it has fielded .946, which ranks 10th in the PSAC. The pitching staff ranks in the middle of the PSAC in ERA and batting average against but is fourth in strikeouts with 119 and has walked just 39. Tommy Alexander has been the team's ace, posting a 2-0 record in four starts and 26 innings. He owns a 1.38 ERA. Chas Pepper has struck out 30 in 22.1 innings. Both pitchers have one complete game. The bullpen is led by Billy Gregory and Alec Covel, who have combined to pitch 18 innings with three runs allowed. Covel averages more than two strikeouts per inning.
