The Games: Towson (8-22, 2-10 CAA) vs. UMBC (11-12, 3-3 AEC) | vs. George Mason (14-13, 2-1 A-10)
When: Tuesday, April 4 – 3 p.m. | Wednesday, April 5 – 3 p.m.
Where: John B. Schuerholz Park | Towson, Md.
Series: Towson leads 42-37-1 | George Mason leads 43-41-1
The Tigers invite UMBC and George Mason for Tuesday and Wednesday games at Schuerholz Park this week. This will be the first of two matchups this year against UMBC and the only matchup against George Mason.
Schedule:
Tuesday, April 4 - vs. UMBC, 3 p.m.
Wednesday, April 5 - vs. George Mason, 3 p.m.
Towson is 42-37-1 all-time against UMBC, losing the last matchup 12-3 on the road on April 27, 2022. The Tigers are 41-43-1 against the Patriots in a series dating back to April 16, 1981. Towson lost the last matchup 8-6 on May 3, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia.
The Tigers have a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) bye week this weekend, meaning the Tigers next game will be against George Washington on Tuesday, April 11 at Schuerholz Park.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
UMBC enters Tuesday's game at 11-12 overall and 3-3 in the America East Conference. The Retrievers have posted series wins vs. Mount St. Mary's and Albany as well as a win over Charleston.
George Mason is 14-13 overall and 2-1 in conference play, with a matchup against Georgetown tomorrow prior to Wednesday's game. The Patriots are coming off a series win over Rhode Island and have taken series victories over Cornell, St. Peter's and FIU.
LAST TIME: LATE HITS NOT ENOUGH TO EXTEND GAME AGAINST ELON
The Tigers' late hits weren't enough to extend the game, falling in Sunday's rubber match against Elon 4-1.
Top Towson Batter:
--#5
Jeremy Wagner: 2-for-4, 1 BB
Top Towson Pitcher:
--#23
Nate Nabholz: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 K
HECKELMAN TABBED CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Following an 8-for-16 week at the plate including two homers, four runs scored and eight RBI, Heckelman was tabbed the CAA Co-Rookie of the Week on 3/13. He picked up three multi-hit games in the week.
DICKERSON PICKS UP PRESEASON HONORS
Outfielder
Elijah Dickerson was selected as a Preseason Honorable Mention All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) by the league's head coaches. Dickerson was named an Honorable Mention All-CAA at the end of last season after batting .262 with 27 runs, 10 doubles, 10 home runs and 42 RBI. Dickerson was also named to the 2023 Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List, an award based on performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity.
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
The 2023 roster highlights 16 newcomers: eight freshmen and eight transfers. Among notable transfers include power-hitting catcher from Rowan College of South Jersey Gloucester,
John Cristino;
Jeremy Wagner, son of longtime MLB pitcher Billy Wagner; First Team All-MEC utility player Jack Lawrence; and Kansas transfer
Reyce Curnane.
EARNING STRIPES
New pitching coach
Mike Ruppenthal joins the Towson staff ahead of the 2023 campaign after serving in the same role with Tyler Junior College. Tyler won the 2021 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DIII National Championship and Ruppenthal was subsequently named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NJCAA DIII Assistant Coach of the Year.
HOMEGROWN TALENT
The 2023 roster features 14 players that hail from Maryland, including eight returners and six newcomers. Among the six newcomers, three are transfers and three are freshmen.
TIGERS IN THE PROS
Former Towson player, Richie Palacios, a third-round pick by Cleveland in 2018, made his Major League debut with the Guardians in 2022. He went 2-for-3 in his first game in the Show and finished the year batting .232 with seven runs, two doubles and 10 RBI. He did most of his damage as a pinch-hitter, where he hit .263 in 22 plate appearances with six RBI and three doubles. Palacios is currently listed on the Guardians' 2023 40-man roster and was selected to play for Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. Brady Policelli, a 13th-round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers in 2016, was a spring training invite in 2019, 2020 and 2021 having spent six years in the minors. Gavin Weyman has pitched in independent league ball the past four years, throwing for the High Point Rockers and the Charleston Dirty Birds in the Atlantic League in 2022.
CAA NEWCOMERS
The CAA welcomes three new opponents in the 2023 season in Stony Brook, Monmouth and North Carolina A&T. Stony Brook enters as the sixth ranked team in the preseason among CAA coaches and three Seawolves were named to the 2023 Preseason All- CAA team. Newcomers Monmouth and North Carolina A&T were picked to finish ninth and 11th respectively in the coaches poll, each with one player named the 2023 Preseason All-CAA team.
TOWSON PICKED TENTH IN CAA PRESEASON POLL
Towson has been predicted to finish tenth in the CAA preseason coaches poll. Charleston was selected to finish first, followed by UNCW, Hofstra and Northeastern. William & Mary, Stony Brook, Elon, Delaware, Monmouth and North Carolina A&T round out the rankings.
