W&M to Host Delaware This Weekend

03/27/08 11:00AM

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William and Mary baseball team will return to conference action when it hosts Delaware this weekend for a three-game series at Plumeri Park. Friday’s contest is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., while Saturday’s game will start at 4 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday with a contest at 1 p.m. The Tribe boasts a 13-2 record at Plumeri Park this season.

The College will send senior LHP Pete Vernon (3-1) to the hill in the opener, while the Blue Hens will counter with senior RHP Mike McGuire (2-2). W&M junior RHP Jeremy Neustifter (0-2) will get the start on Saturday against UD’s sophomore RHP Brian Rorick (1-3), while freshman RHP Tim Norton (3-1) will go against sophomore RHP Brad Miller (2-0) in the series finale.

The Tribe (16-9, 7-5) has been one of the most productive offensive teams in the nation this season and was ranked among the top 10 in three categories in the initial NCAA statistical report released earlier this week. W&M was third in hits (284) and doubles (65), while it ranked seventh in batting average (.346). Defensively, the Green and Gold led the nation with 32 double plays turned.

Individually, the Tribe also had a number of players ranked among the nation’s best in various categories. Junior Mike Sheridan ranked second in hits, fourth in runs scored and seventh in RBI, while senior Tim Park was sixth in doubles, 12th in hits and 17th in runs scored. Junior Ben Guez was fourth in runs scored, and classmate Rob Nickle was 13th in RBI.

While the Blue Hens had a 10-game losing streak earlier this season, they have won their last two games and enter this weekend’s series with a 7-14 record overall and a 2-4 mark in conference play. Adam Tsakonas has a .341 batting average with a team-best seven home runs, while Kyle Davis is hitting .360.