The Matchup: Towson (8-28, 3-6 CAA) vs. Delaware (13-23, 5-7 CAA)
When: April 19-21^st – 3/2/1 p.m.
Where: Schuerholz Park – Towson, Md.
Online Broadcast: Towson Sports Network (Friday and Saturday only)
Series: Delaware leads 82-40
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University baseball team returns to Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play for a home series against its eastern rival, Delaware.  The games are set for Friday, April 19 at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 20th at 2 p.m. and Sunday, April 21st at 1 p.m.
 
All games at Schuerholz Park are free admittance.  Friday and Saturday's games will be broadcast on the Towson Sports Network.
 
This is a series that will be played at Towson after last year's matchup was moved to Delaware due to weather issues.  Towson split during the mid-week, with a victory at UMBC and a defeat to Coppin State, to be 8-28 overall and 3-6 in the CAA.  Delaware won its mid-week contest vs. Saint Joseph's after being swept by Elon last weekend, appearing with 13-23 overall and 5-7 CAA records.
 
Last year, Delaware took two of three games in the series, with Towson's 10-2 win on March 25th snapping a seven-game losing streak against the Blue Hens.  With at least one game between the two every year since 1980, Delaware leads the all-time series 82-40.  Towson is looking for its first series win vs. Delaware since 2014.
 
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 (40), doubles (8), triples (4) and stolen bases (11).  He had a 14-game bases reached streak snapped on March 30.
 
Fields - CAA Rookie of the Week
Javon Fields earned his first league weekly honor on April 15th, hitting .333 with seven runs and four RBI, helping Towson to three victories.
 
When There is a Will, There is a Weyman
Gavin Weyman has been a rock as the Saturday starter in his last two appearances, going 2-0 with one earned run in 14 innings (0.64 ERA) in victories over Elon and Hofstra, striking out nine batters in that time.
 
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 Delaware
Delaware coach Jim Sherman is the third-longest tenured coach in the CAA, serving at the helm since 2001.
 
Delaware was picked to finish fifth in the CAA in the preseason coaches poll.
 
The team's leader in batting average is a freshman: infielder Joseph Carpenter is batting .292 with 13 extra base hits and 21 RBI.  Also in the infield, redshirt sophomore Jordan Hutchins sports a team-best four home runs, hitting .269 with 10 doubles and 30 RBI.
 
Delaware's rotation is expected to include lefty redshirt junior Brandon Walter, who is 3-5 with a 3.55 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 50.2 innings, plus sophomore right-hander Chris Ludman, being 2-5 with a 5.11 ERA, two complete games and 42 strikeouts.  Freshman right-hander Joey Silan had the Sunday start last weekend and is 1-3 with a 5.82 ERA and 29 strikeouts.
 
About Schuerholz Park
Named in honor of Towson alum John Schuerholz and his father, Schuerholz Park, next to the Student Union building, underwent some changes for the 2019 season, including the addition of Bermuda grass and new DuraEdge infield material.
 
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