The Matchup: Towson (1-6) @ Georgia Southern (3-5)
Games: March 5, 6:30 p.m. | March 6, 2 p.m. | March 7, 1 p.m.
Broadcast: ESPN+ ($)
Live Stats: gseagles.com
 
STATESBORO, Ga. – For the third weekend in a row, the Towson University baseball team will be heading south for a series, taking on Georgia Southern from March 5-7.
 
This is the first meeting between the two programs since 2008.  Georgia Southern has won all seven meetings, all in Statesboro.  Last time out: Georgia Southern defeated the Tigers 11-5 to complete a three-game set victory on March 2, 2008.
 
All games will be broadcast on ESPN+, available via subscription.
 
Towson, from the Colonial Athletic Association, returns to the road after getting the first in a three-game set at Winthrop this past weekend, standing at 1-6 overall.  Sun Belt representative Georgia Southern picked up a 3-1 mid-week win over North Florida after falling in a weekend series to East Carolina to come in at 3-5 overall.
 
Towson's first four weekend series are all south of Maryland.  The 10-hour bus ride to Georgia will be Towson's longest of the year.
 
Projected Starting Rotation - Towson:
Game 1 - Josh Seils, RHP (1-1, 7.71 ERA, 9.1 IP, 5/2 K-BB)
Game 2 - Nick Janowicz, RHP (0-0, 9.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 3/2 K-BB)
Game 3 - Danny Madden, LHP (0-0, 2.53 ERA, 10.2 IP, 5/4 K-BB)
 
Projected Starting Rotation - Georgia Southern:
Game 1 - Jordan Jackson, RHP (0-2, 10.13 ERA, 5.1 IP, 4/2 K-BB)
Game 2 - Chase Dollander, RHP (0-0, 1.86 ERA, 9.2 IP, 13/2 K-BB)
Game 3 - Braden Hays, LHP (0-1, 7.04 ERA, 7.2 IP, 7/3 K-BB)
 
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 TAKES ONE AT WINTHROP
Towson took game one 7-2 and led late in game three to nearly take a series win at Winthrop, but was defeated 7-3 and 5-4 (12 innings).
Key stat:
--Three Tigers hit home runs
Top Towson batter:
--#1 Nolan Young: .286, 1 HR, 2 2B, 6 RBI
Top Towson pitcher:
--#30 Josh Seils: 1-0, 6.1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 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.
 
GO!
Towson has had a strong start on the basepaths, stealing 12 bases in as many attempts through the first couple of weekends.  Javon Fields is a perfect 4-for-4 on stolen bases while Danny Becerra is an unblemished 3-for-3.  Going into the weekend, Towson has a stolen base each of the last six games.
 
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:
Georgia Southern made the Sun Belt title game in 2019.  Graduate student Mason McWhorter, who has played 191 collegiate games is hitting .419 with three home runs and nine RBI so far this year.  Preseason All-Sun Belt pitcher Jordan Jackson is the Friday starter, having a 10.13 ERA, 0-2 record and four strikeouts in his first two starts this year.