The Matchup: Towson (5-26, 1-5 CAA) at Hofstra (6-22, 1-5 CAA)
When: April 12^th-14^th – 3/1/1 p.m.
Where: University Field – Hempstead, N.Y.
Online Broadcast: Hofstra Sports
Series: Towson leads 57-35
 
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Towson University baseball team will have its first conference series on the road this weekend, taking on Hofstra on Long Island for a three-game set from April 12-14.  Friday's game will be at 3 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday having first pitch at 1 p.m.
 
All three games at University Field are not ticketed and are free to attend.  In addition, all three games will be broadcast online by Hofstra.
 
This is a series between two teams currently in eighth place in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).  Towson just wrapped up a six-game homestand on Wednesday with an 8-3 victory over George Mason, entering the weekend at 5-26 overall and 1-5 in the CAA.  Hofstra will be completing a five-game homestand this weekend, coming off a 9-7 defeat to Fairfield on Wednesday, holding 6-22 overall and 1-5 league records.
 
Last year in Maryland, Towson took the final two games of the three-game series with Hofstra, the fifth series in a row the Tigers have won against the Pride since 2013.  All-time, Towson leads 57-35 in a series that began in 1985.  Last meeting in Hempstead in 2017, Towson won the first two games of three.
 
Freshman Leading the Way
Javon Fields, a true freshman, has proven to be a top tier newcomer, currently leading Towson in several categories including hits (31), doubles (5), triples (3) and stolen bases (10).  He had a 14-game bases reached streak snapped on March 30.
 
Towson is Traveling
The Tigers will be traveling quite a bit in 2019 with games scheduled in 10 different states, primarily up and down the East Coast. 
 
Along with the home state of Maryland, states Towson will have games in this year includes California, Florida, Georgia, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
 
John Schuerholz Headlines First Pitch Dinner
Kicking off the 2019 season, Towson held its second annual First Pitch Dinner on February 2nd, at the Valley Mansion.
 
John Schuerholz, a Towson alum and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, was the headline speaker for the event, MCed by Jay Rokeach, the PA announcer for the Miami Hurricanes baseball team.  Local media personality Keith Mills held a question and answer session with Richie Palacios and Brady Policelli, former Tigers currently in the minors.
 
Almost 300 people in total attended the dinner, including Towson President Dr. Kim Schatzel and Athletics Director Tim Leonard.
 
Seils Earns CAA Pitcher of the Week
Josh Seils earned his first-ever CAA Pitcher of the Week honor on March 18th.  His award came after a stellar start vs. Fordham, picking up the win with eight scoreless innings and six strikeouts.
 
Stramara Named to NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List
Senior Dean Stramara is one of 75 players nationally to be selected to the 2019 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List.
 
In 2018, he had the best ERA for Towson at 3.94 in 21 appearances, striking out 48 batters in 59.1 innings.
 
Towson Predicted to Finish 9th in the CAA Preseason Poll
In the coaches preseason poll, Towson was predicted to finish ninth in the CAA in 2019.  Towson got 13 points.
 
Elon is predicted to finish first with 57 points and four first-place votes, followed by a tie for second between UNC Wilmington and Northeastern.
 
CAA Preseason Poll (first place votes, points)
1. Elon (4), 57
t2. UNC Wilmington (1), 54
t2. Northeastern (4), 54
4. Charleston, 47
5. Delaware, 34
6. James Madison, 32
7. William & Mary, 19
8. Hofstra, 14
9. Towson, 13
 
Tom Flacco Joins the Baseball Team
Tom Flacco, the 2018 CAA Offensive Player of the Year for the Towson football team, comes to the diamond for the baseball team in 2019.
 
Flacco, a graduate of Rutgers University, was drafted in the 32nd round out of high school in 2014 by the Philadelphia Phillies, electing to attend Western Michigan to play football.
 
His brother, Michael, played in the minors from 2009-12 after being drafted in the 31st round by the Baltimore Orioles.
 
Maryland, My Maryland
Towson sports 12 players from the home state of Maryland, coming from all areas of the region.
 
In addition, two freshmen, Trent Gast-Woodard and Nick Brown, each are from the home city of Baltimore.  Gast-Woodard and Brown each attended Archbishop Curley.
 
Scouting Hofstra
Hofstra, predicted to finish eighth in the CAA in the preseason coaches poll, is led by John Russo, in his eighth year as head coach and 11th overall season with the program.
 
The team is entering the wekend batting .205.  At catcher, junior Vito Friscia has a team-best .283 with five home runs and 14 RBI.  In the infield is classmate Rob Weissheier with nine extra base hits, batting .227 with two home runs and 13 RBI.
 
Scheduled to start on the mound against Towson includes freshman Ryan Rue, a lefty with a 1-3 record and a 4.89 ERA, striking out 24.  Fellow southpaw Michael James, a graduate student, is 0-6 with a 6.43 ERA and 25 strikeouts while junior right-hander Jack Jett, a former player out of the bullpen, stands 0-1 and a save with a 10.26 ERA and 13 strikeouts.  The team has a 6.64 ERA.
 
About University Field
University Field is the home of Hofstra baseball and has two different surfaces, turf on the infield and grass in the outfield.  The field has undergone several renovations over the last couple of decades.
 
- TowsonTigers.com –