The Matchup: Towson @ Winthrop
Games: Saturday, Feb. 27, 1 p.m. (doubleheader), Sunday, Feb. 28, 1 p.m.
Live Stats: statbroadcast.com
 
ROCK HILL, S.C. – It has been nearly 26 years since the Towson University baseball team has played Winthrop.  Now, the two sides will play in South Carolina for a three-game set from February 27-28 with a 1 p.m. Saturday doubleheader and a 1 p.m. Sunday getaway game.
 
This is the first time that these two schools have played since they were Big South Conference foes from 1993-95.  Winthrop won all 10 matchups in a combined three weekends, with the last meeting being on Mar. 26, 1995, a 4-3 Eagles victory in Rock Hill.
 
Towson is in its second road weekend in the south, falling in four contests to Western Carolina from Feb. 19-21.  Winthrop fell in a mid-week contest at South Carolina to enter this weekend at 1-3 overall.
 
Towson's first 15 games will be on the road in five different states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Georgia, Virginia.
 
FIELDS NAMED PRESEASON HM ALL-CAA
Javon Fields was selected as 2021 Preseason Honorable Mention All-CAA in the preseason coaches poll.  Fields was previously 2020 Preseason All-CAA and 2019 CAA All-Rookie Team.
 
Fields has started nearly every game in his Towson career as the team's centerfielder, hitting .271 in his career with 12 doubles, 31 RBI and 24 steals.
 
LAST TIME: TOWSON SWEPT AT WCU
Towson nearly got a split in the Saturday doubleheader but fell in four games at Western Carolina in the opening weekend.
Key stat:
--Perfect 5-5 on stolen base attempts
Top Towson batter:
--#14 Nick Brown: .500, 2 2B, 3 BB, 1 RBI, 2-2 SB
Top Towson pitcher:
--#17 Danny Madden: ND, 1.59 ERA, 5.2 IP, 4 K
 
SEILS, CAMPER NAMED TOP-10 CAA DRAFT CLASS PROSPECTS
Two Tigers, Josh Seils and Burke Camper, were ranked in the top-10 among CAA players in their respective Major League Baseball classes by Perfect Game USA.  Among CAA players, Seils is ninth in the 2021 draft class while Camper is ninth in the 2022 draft class.
 
Seils was eligible for the MLB Draft last year but returned to Towson.  The junior pitcher is Towson's Friday starter, striking out 74 in 18 starts since 2019, including 6.1 innings with two runs against #7 Miami last year.
 
Camper was one of the CAA's top freshmen last year, hitting .314 with three doubles and 11 RBI in 15 games, split between catcher and designated hitter.
 
YOU ARE NEW....
Though all 2020 players were granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA, Towson still added 11 newcomers this year, including six true freshmen, three JUCOs and two Division I transfers.  In addition, five players who were on the roster last year but did not appear in a game return.
 
REPPING THE HOME STATE
14 who suit up for the Black & Gold hail from the Old Line State of Maryland.  This includes several players from the Baltimore metropolitan area: Nick Brown, Alex Parker, Trent Gast-Woodard, Bryce Frederick and Ryan Schechner.
 
BRING BACK THE STAFF...
Towson returns 12 pitchers who accounted for 127.2 of the 128 innings thrown during the 2020 season.  They combined for a 4.29 team ERA under pitching coach Miles Miller, 1.3 points better than in 2019.  Two Tigers, Austin Weber and Nick Ramanjulu, ranked top-10 in the CAA in ERA at 2.94 and 3.22 respectively.
 
...BUT THE LINEUP MAY BE DIFFERENT
Towson routinely shuffled its lineup during the 15 games of 2020 and returns nine of the 13 players who had at least five starts in the order last season.  Outfielder Matt Arceo finished fourth in the CAA with a .395 batting average while outfielder Javon Fields tied for fourth in the league with seven steals, hitting .293.  The biggest departure was starting first baseman Brad Powers, who was third in the CAA with 16 RBI.
 
TIGERS IN THE PROS
Towson has two players in the minor leagues.  Richie Palacios, a third round pick by Cleveland in 2018, is the #31 rated-prospect in the system, missing 2019 due to shoulder surgery.  Brady Policelli, a 13th round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers in 2016, was a spring training invite in 2019 and 2020 after earning FSL All-Star honors in 2019. Gavin Weyman pitched in the independent United Shore Professional Baseball League in 2020 for the second straight year.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
Winthrop was predicted to finish second in the 2021 Big South Preseason Poll and 40th nationally by Collegiate Baseball in the preseason poll.  Senior catcher Spencer Yankle is one of Winthrop's top hitters, batting .333 with two RBI in the young season.  Two relievers, Jason Crumley and Colten Rendon, are on the 2021 NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year List.