The Matchup: Towson (1-9) vs. Saint Joseph's (0-0)
Game: March 10, 2 p.m.
Broadcast: TSN
Live Stats: towsontigers.com
 
TOWSON, Md. – A year to the day after the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the baseball season, the Towson University baseball team is set to host Saint Joseph's for the home opener on March 10 at 2 p.m.
 
The game will be broadcast on the Towson Sports Network from John B. Schuerholz Park.
 
Before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the 2020 campaign, Towson beat George Washington 5-2 on March 10.  A year later on March 10, Towson has the 2021 home opener.
 
Towson, from the Colonial Athletic Association, was swept in three competitive contests at Georgia Southern to stand at 1-9 overall.  Saint Joseph's, representative of the Atlantic-10 Conference, is playing its first game of the season after going 5-10 in the 2020 season.
 
This is the first time since 2004 that these two programs have met.  Towson leads the all-time series 4-1-1, having won the last two games.
 
Projected Starting Rotation - Towson:
Game 1 - Nick Ramanjulu, RHP (0-2, 9.39 ERA, 7.2 IP, 10/3 K-BB)
 
Projected Starting Rotation – Saint Joseph's (2020 Stats):
Game 1 - Noah Weber, RHP (0-1, 5.14 ERA, 14.0 IP, 8/2 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 SWEPT AT GSU
Despite having the potential tying run on base in the ninth inning of the final two games, Towson got swept by Georgia Southern 5-1, 7-5 and 6-5.
Key stat:
--Towson: 9-for-11 on stolen bases
Top Towson batter:
--#3 Danny Becerra: .500, 2 2B, 4 R, 1 RBI
Top Towson pitcher:
--#22 Matt Watters: 0.00 ERA, 2 IP, 0 R, 1 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 83 in 20 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 21 bases in 23 attempts through the first few weekends.  Javon Fields is a perfect 7-for-7 on stolen bases while Danny Becerra is 4-for-5.  Going into the weekend, Towson has a stolen base each of the last nine games. As of March 8th, Towson is tied for ninth in DI in total stolen bases.
 
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:
Saint Joseph's has been predicted to finish ninth in the Atlantic-10 Conference.  2019 All-Conference Second Team outfielder Brendan Hueth hit .242 with a home run and 11 RBI last season.  Set to start on the mound is right-hander Noah Weber, who had an 0-1 record and a 5.14 ERA in 14 innings last year, striking out eight batters.