The Matchup: Towson (13-37, 6-15 CAA) vs. Northeastern (24-26, 10-11 CAA)
When: May 16^th-18^th, 3/3/1 p.m.
Where: Schuerholz Park – Towson, Md.
Online Broadcast: Towson Sports Network
Series: Northeastern leads 32-25
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University baseball team is ready for its final CAA series of the season, hosting Northeastern for a three-game set from May 16-18.  Games are set for Thursday, May 14th at 3 p.m., Friday, May 15th at 3 p.m. and Saturday, May 16th at 1 p.m., with the final game celebrating the Tiger seniors.
 
The Towson Sports Network will broadcast all three games from Schuerholz Park.  In addition, admittance to Schuerholz Park is free for all games.
 
Saturday will be Senior Day for the team.  The program's 11 seniors will be honored this weekend, including a senior ceremony in the pregame on Saturday.
 
Towson was swept at Charleston last weekend, despite an earlier mid-week victory over Big Ten foe Penn State, and enters this series at 13-37 overall and 6-15 in the CAA, playing its final games of the year this week.  Northeastern is coming off series victory, winning two of three vs. James Madison, having 24-26 overall and 10-11 conference records, being in a four-way tie for third place in the league.
 
Towson is looking to snap a six-game losing streak against Northeastern, including three wins by the Huskies in late April last season in Boston.  All-time, Northeastern leads the series 32-25.  The two programs have played every year since 2011.
 
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 (53), runs (30), triples (4) and stolen bases (15).  He had a 14-game bases reached streak snapped on March 30.
 
Approaching Single Season Records
As the season winds down, some Tigers are getting close to adding their names to the Towson record book.
 
Noah Cabrera has been hit by a pitch 13 times, currently tied for ninth in Towson single season history.  The record is 20 by Brandon Butler in 2012.
 
Each Javon Fields and Richard Miller have hit four triples, two away from getting into the top-10 in program history.
 
When There is a Will, There is a Weyman
Gavin Weyman has been a rock as the Saturday starter, going 3-4 with 13 earned runs in 45.1 innings (2.58 ERA) in games vs. CAA competition, striking out 35 batters in that time compared to just 14 walks.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Stramara Approaching Pitching Top-10 Marks
Senior pitcher Dean Stramara is coming close to the top-10 in Towson history in numerous categories.
 
He stands with 142 career strikeouts, six away from tying for 10th all-time in that category with two former Tigers at 145: Brandon Gonnella (2011-14) and Derek Hasselhoff (1992-95).
 
Stramara has pitched in 55 games, five away from tying for 10th at 60 with Drew Permison (2008-10) and Zach Umberger (2007-11).
 
Piazza Bringing in Runs
Zach Piazza has five sacrifice flies on the year to tie for second in the CAA in that category, sporting a team-best 27 RBI on the season.
 
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 Northeastern
Northeastern was predicted to finish tied for second in the preseason coaches poll. 
 
At first base is 6-foot-4 senior Jake Farrell, the team's leader in doubles with 13, triples with five, home runs with eight and RBI with 41, hitting .307.  Redshirt sophomore infielder Ian Fair is the top player in batting average at .331, adding six home runs and 26 RBI while sophomore outfielder Jeff Costello has compiled a .283 batting average, 10 doubles, 24 RBI and 19 stolen bases.
 
Scheduled to throw Friday is junior right-hander David Stiehl, who is 5-4 with a 4.82 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 61.2 innings.  Classmate southpaw Sean Mellen has game two with a 4-2 clip, a 2.76 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 78.1 innings.  Redshirt junior Kyle Murphy rounds out the rotation, being 5-4 with a 4.60 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 58.2 innings thrown.
 
Towson Athletics – Helper Helper Community Service National Champion
The Towson University athletics department considers community service to be one of its highest priorities, and today, the NCAA has announced that Towson is the Division I national champion of the NCAA Team Works Helper Helper Competition for the Fall 2018 semester.
 
Towson completed the most community service hours among all schools in the competition, including 75 different Division I departments and approximately 300 total programs across the country.
 
"It is a great honor to be a national champion of community service," said Towson director of athletics Tim Leonard. "Community service is a part of our DNA here at Towson University, and our student-athletes represent this institution with pride here in the Greater Baltimore area.  This is a fantastic achievement for everyone in our department, including all student-athletes, coaches, administration and staff."
 
Towson student-athletes and staff completed 5,583 hours of community service from September to November around the Greater Baltimore area. 
 
- TowsonTigers.com –