We don’t usually see too many strong mid-week games but tonight is a different story as there are several solid matchups to watch.
#6 Coastal Carolina at #2 Virginia
Coastal Carolina will send Red-shirt junior LHP Jim Birmingham to the mound tonight as he sports a 6-1 record with a 3.33 ERA. I had seen Birmingham in the 2007 Ivy League Championship where he was absolutely bombed by Brown as he transferred to Conway immediately after the season. (FULL ARTICLE) Virginia will counter with Brandon Kline getting the ball as he is 2-0 with a 2.90 ERA. This matchup is much more important to Coastal Carolina as the Chanticleers are looking to solidify a regional host bid and a possible national seed. I think we see a determined Chanticleers team tonight as they pick up the victory over the Cavaliers to make the resume even better.
Coastal Carolina Game Notes
Virginia Game Notes
Georgia vs #4 Georgia Tech at Turner Field
Anytime Georgia and Georgia Tech get together on a playing surface it is a big deal. Georgia has struggled this season as they have a 12-28 overall record while being a disappointing 3-15 in the SEC. Georgia Tech enters the game with a 34-7 overall record while being 16-5 in the ACC. Georgia Tech has grabbed the first two games between these teams with GT picking up a 6-5 victory at home on March 16th and a 25-6 victory in Athens on April 14th. GT is expected to send Mark Pope to the mound as he has a 6-0 record with a 3.99 ERA in seven starts for a total of 47.1 innings. Georgia will send freshman LHP Blake Dieterich (0-2, 14.77 ERA). The most important thing about this game is it serves as a fundraiser for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and its Brain and Spinal Cord Tumor Program as well as the “Prayers For Chance” fund. This fund has been set up to help offset medical expenses for Bulldog freshman infielder Chance Veazey. The game has raised more than $200,000 annually for the not-for-profit pediatric healthcare system.
GT Game Notes
Georgia Game Notes
#29 UC-Irvine at #9 UCLA
UC Irvine heads down to UCLA today for a non-conference matchup. The Anteaters enter the game with a 24-13 overall mark while being 8-4 in the Big West conference. They will send freshman RHP Evan Brock who is 3-2 with a 2.78 ERA. UCLA has a 29-7 overall record while being 7-5 in the Pac-10 conference. The Bruins will send senior RHP Garett Claypool to the mound as he is 5-1 with a 2.27. This game is important for both squads as they each need to get back on track. UCLA is 7-7 in their last 14 games while UC-Irvine is 6-4 in their last ten games.
UC-Irvine Game Notes
UCLA Game Notes
#16 Cal-State Fullerton at San Diego
The Cal-State Fullerton Titans head down to San Diego tonight to take on the Toreros. The Titans enter the game with a 24-13 overall record while being 10-2 in Big West play. They will send David Hurlbut to the mound. San Diego enters with a 23-15 record while being a perfect 9-0 in the West Coast Conference. They will send Chris Jensen to the hill as he is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA. San Diego has struggled in mid-week games as they are only 1-9 with the only victory over UC Riverside on March 23rd.
#30 Oregon State at #26 Oregon
The Oregon State Beavers make the trip to Eugene to take on the Oregon Ducks in a non-conference matchup. The Beavers enter the game with a 21-13 overall record while being 4-8 in Pac-10 Conference play. OSU will send RHP Tyler Waldron to the hill as he is 3-3 with a 5.94 ERA. The Ducks enter the game with a 27-13 with a Pac-10 record of 8-7. They will send Joey Housey to the mound as he is 1-0 with a 1.15 ERA. The two squads are meeting for the first time this season as they will play a Pac-10 series at Oregon State on May 7th-9th.
Dartmouth at Brown
The Dartmouth Big Green and Brown Bears matchup today in Providence in a makeup doubleheader. Both squads are tied for the Red Rolfe Division lead with a 9-5 record. If either team sweeps the doubleheader, it puts that squad in a prime position to take the division title with one more weekend to go.
