The Games: Towson (2-10, 0-0 CAA) vs. UMBC (5-6, 0-0 America East)
When: Tuesday, March 8 – 2 p.m.
Where: John B. Schuerholz Park – Towson, Md.
Broadcast: FloSports ($)
Series: Towson leads 41-36-1
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University baseball team will begin an eight-game homestand on Tuesday, March 8 against UMBC at 2 p.m. at John B. Schuerholz Park.
 
Admission for Towson games is free for the public.  See the attached parking flyer for information on coming to campus.
 
The game will be broadcast online on FloSports.  Visit FloSports.tv/CAA to view the full Colonial Athletic Association schedule and sign up today.
 
CAA member Towson is looking to snap a five-game losing streak, narrowly falling to UNCG on Sunday 6-5 to stand at 2-10 overall.  UMBC, out of the America East, has won its last four, the last a 10-4 win vs. Niagara on Sunday, to be 5-6 overall.
 
Following this mid-week game, Towson will continue with two weekends at home against Fairleigh Dickinson and Princeton.
 
Towson leads the all-time series 41-36-1 vs. UMBC.  The Tigers have won the last three meetings, including a 21-4 victory on March 4, 2020 at home.
 
TWO TIGERS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CAA
A pair of Tigers were honored on preseason all-conference teams by different publications.
 
Nick Janowicz was selected as Preseason Honorable Mention All-CAA by the league's head coaches.  Janowicz was second on the team last season in each strikeouts with 53 and innings pitched with 66.2.
 
Danny Becerra was named Preseason CAA All-Conference by Perfect Game USA at shortstop.  He earned 19 multi-hit contests last year, finishing with 12 doubles, 24 RBI and 11 stolen bases.
 
COMING OFF CAA TOURNAMENT YEAR
Towson earned an important feat last season, making the CAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.  The Tigers finished second in the CAA North at 11-12, including two series victories over Delaware.  Towson picked up the 5-seed in the CAA Tournament.
 
LAST TIME: TOWSON SWEPT AT UNCG
Towson nearly won the getaway game on Sunday at UNCG, but was swept by the Spartans 8-3, 12-1 and 6-5.
Key stat:
--Had four players hit over .400 on the week
Top Towson batter:
--#29 Chandler Castleberry: .444, 1  HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB
Top Towson pitcher:
--#11 Jake Pecilunas: 2 IP, 0 R, 2 K
 
WELCOME NEW STAFF
Two new coaches join the team for the 2022 season.  Blake Nation is the new pitching coach after three years at Hofstra, coaching Jim Joyce, a 16th round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. 
 
Also joining is volunteer assistant coach Paul Benoit, who coached four all-league players at Ottawa University.
 
In addition, head coach Matt Tyner elevated Tanner Biagini to interim associate head coach in his fifth year with the team.
 
NEW LOOK OUTFIELD
Needing three new starting outfielders this season, Towson restocked the ranks past the infield.  Anderson transfer Chandler Castleberry locks down center while La Salle transfer Elijah Dickerson is in right.  Radford transfer Bryce Frederick takes up left field in his second season.
 
FEAR THE FRESHMAN
Freshman Doug Marose won his first college start on Feb. 26, going six innings with an unearned run vs. Southern in an 11-1 victory.  He is the first Tiger to earn a victory in his first-ever college start since 2014.
 
TIGERS IN THE PROS
Towson has two players in the minor leagues.  Richie Palacios, a third-round pick by Cleveland in 2018, is the #9 rated-prospect in the Guardians system, hitting .297 with 33 doubles in the minors.  Brady Policelli, a 13th round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers in 2016, was a spring training invite in 2019 and 2020 having spent five years in the minors. Gavin Weyman has pitched in independent league ball the past three years, throwing for the Ogden Raptors in the Pioneer League in 2021.
 
TOWSON PICKED SEVENTH IN CAA PRESEASON POLL
Towson has been predicted to finish seventh in the CAA preseason coaches poll as the league returns to a round robin format.  Reigning champion Northeastern is predicted to finish first followed by last year's southern division winner UNCW.  The rest of the poll is filled out by Charleston, Elon, James Madison, W&M, Towson, Delaware and Hofstra.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
Graduate student Myles Nicholson leads UMBC in several categories, hitting .429 with a home run, nine RBI, 10 walks and 12 stolen bases.  Freshman Jayden Shertel is second in batting average at .381, adding six RBI.  As a team, UMBC has a 6.21 ERA.