TOWSON, Md. - Hoping to start a new winning streak, the Tigers continue their ten-game home stand this week when they host Yale University in a three-game series. Towson and Yale will play single games at John B. Schuerholz Park on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons with all three games starting at 2:30 p.m. The Tigers, now 9-7 on the season, had their seven-game winning streak snapped by Holy Cross on Sunday when the Crusaders handed the Tigers a 6-3 loss as they salvaged the final game of their three-game series.
The Bulldogs, who are finishing off a long road trip this week, come to Schuerholz Park with a 2-3 overall record. However, Yale has not played since beating Davidson on Wednesday. The Bulldogs' three-game weekend series at the University of Richmond was rained out. The Bulldogs opened the season with a loss to Wagner. Then, Yale split a two-game series at UMBC. Later in the week, they split a two-game set at Davidson.
Yale is coached by former major league pitcher John Stupor. Stupor is starting his 17th season as the Bulldogs' coach and ranks second on Yale's career victory list with 324 wins. Stupor pitched in the major leagues for four years and was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals' World Championship team in 1982.
The Tigers, who have won seven of their last eight games, have been very successful in close games this year. Towson has a 6-2 record in one-run games and has won 8 of 10 games that have been decided by two runs or less. When the Tigers came from behind to beat Holy Cross by 10-9 in the 12th inning on Saturday, it was their third "walk-off" win of the year.
Towson's seven-game winning streak was tied for the second-longest winning streak in school history, one win shy of matching the eight-game winning streak the Tigers had in 1999.
Senior second baseman Gary Helmick continues to lead the Tigers in hitting with a .455 batting average. He has scored 21 runs with five doubles, two triples, four home runs and 15 runs batted in. In the series against Holy Cross, he hit three home runs and had seven runs batted in. Helmick is the fourth-leading hitter in the CAA and his .773 slugging percentage leads the CAA. He ranks second in the CAA with 21 runs scored and his 30 base hits are also second. With a .519 on-base percentage, he is fifth in the CAA.
Junior centerfielder Kevin Collins is the Tigers' second-leading hitter with a .388 batting average. He has 6 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs and a team-leading 18 RBI's.
Junior righthander Nate Curd is off to a fine start and leads the Tiger pitching staff. Curd has made seven appearances and has a 3-1 record with a 4.24 E.R.A. In 17 innings of work, he has walked only four batters with 13 strikeouts.
