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Season Opener Tonight at UCF
3/4/2011 11:33:00 AM | Baseball
The Games: Dartmouth (0-0) at UCF (7-1)
Location: Jay Bergman Field (2,230), Orlando, Fla.
First pitch: Friday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 5 doubleheader starts at 2 p.m.
Series Record vs. UCF: First meeting
Live Stats | Live Video ($) | Complete Game Notes
Location: Jay Bergman Field (2,230), Orlando, Fla.
First pitch: Friday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 5 doubleheader starts at 2 p.m.
Series Record vs. UCF: First meeting
Live Stats | Live Video ($) | Complete Game Notes
Season Opener
• Dartmouth begins its 139th season of varsity baseball by taking on UCF in a three-game series, the first-ever meetings between the two schools on the diamond.
• Head coach Bob Whalen enters his 22nd season with an overall record of 403-414-1, including last year's 27-19 mark. He surpassed former big league pitcher Jeff Tesreau as the Big Green's all-time winningest coach in 2010. Tesreau coached Dartmouth for 28 seasons (1919-46).
• Dartmouth is 11-10 in the first game of the season under Whalen, having defeated Wright State in Charlottesville, Va., last year in a thrilling 3-2 ball game. Jim Wren, who graduated last year, doubled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.
• Last year the Big Green won their third straight Rolfe Division title with a 13-7 mark, then went on to defeat Columbia in the best-of-three Ivy Championship Series held at Robertson Field in New York for back-to-back Ivy crowns.
• Dartmouth participated in its second consecutive NCAA Regional, dropping a 12-8 contest to the host school, 11th-ranked Miami, before securing its first regional victory in 23 years by trouncing FIU, 15-9. The Green were eliminated from postseason play when 20th-ranked Texas A&M rallied late in a gut-wrenching 4-3 ball game.
• Despite winning the Ivy League, Dartmouth did not have a single player named to the all-league first team. But catcher Chris O'Dowd was selected as the Ivy League Co-Rookie of the Year, and four Big Green players were chosen for the second team — Jason Brooks (1B), Jake Carlson (OF), Joe Sclafani (SS) and Cole Sulser (RP). Two others garnered honorable mention — O'Dowd and Kyle Hendricks (SP). All six players return for Dartmouth in 2011.
• One of the seniors from last season, left-hander Robert Young, was drafted and signed by the Chicago White Sox in the 31st round
• Dartmouth features three players on the roster that were drafted out of high school — junior pitcher Kyle Hendricks (39th round), sophomore catcher Chris O'Dowd (40th round) and freshman pitcher Mitch Horacek (46th round).
Scouting UCF
• The Knights have displayed a potent offense and some stellar mound work in the early going, leading to that impressive 7-1 mark.
• Last weekend, UCF won two of three at the South Alabama Classic in Mobile, knocking of host South Alabama and Alabama, but faltering against a strong Southeastern Louisiana squad. In the lone mid-week game, the Knights defeated Maine in a tight 6-3 ball game.
• The offense has averaged nearly 10 runs a game, led by shortstop Darnell Sweeney (.467/.538/.800) and Derek Luciano (.444/.593/.722).
• The Knights sport a terrific 2.75 ERA thus far and a .244 opponent batting average. Brian Adkins is the lone hurler with two victories, tossing nine innings without a walk and 10 strikeouts.
• The defense has been strong as well with a .974 fielding percentage and averaging one error a game.
Probable Starting Pitchers
• Sophomore LHP Kyle Hunter (2-0, 3.48 ERA in 2010) gets the nod to start the season for the Big Green, making this the fourth straight year a southpaw will take the mound on opening day for Dartmouth. Hunter led the team in innings pitched as a rookie and was third in the league in ERA, but suffered seven no-decisions in nine starts despite the Green winning seven of those games.
• In game two, junior RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-6, 7.49 in 2010) will toe the slab, followed by either junior RHP Cole Sulser (8-0, 3.70 in 2010), who set a school record for most victories in a season without a loss, or sophomore LHP Michael Johnson (1-1, 5.65).
• The Knights will likely counter with junior RHP Danny Winkler (1-0, 4.35) who has struck out a team-best 11 batters in 10.1 innings, followed by junior RHP Matt Collins (0-0, 2.08) and freshman RHP Ben Lively (1-0, 0.00).
What's Up Next
Dartmouth has a week and a half off before heading back to Florida for spring break with 10 games scheduled in 10 days, including two against Big 10 schools and the four versus UMBC.
Dartmouth Picked to Repeat
In Baseball America's college preview, the Big Green were chosen to successfully defend their Ivy League crown for a third straight year with seven players earning preseason All-Ivy recognition — first baseman Jason Brooks, center fielder Jake Carlson, starting pitcher Kyle Hunter, catcher Chris O'Dowd, shortstop Joe Sclafani, reliever Ryan Smith and pitcher Cole Sulser.
Preseason Player of the Year
For the second straight year, Joe Sclafani was chosen by Baseball America as the conference's preseason Player of the Year. In two seasons at Dartmouth, the shortstop has hit .332 with 15 doubles, eight triples, five home runs, 85 runs scored and 58 RBIs while getting on base at a .428 clip. Sclafani was also named the best defensive infielder and one of the top three pure hitters in the league in a separate poll of the league's coaches conducted by CollegeBaseballInsider.com
Hit Streak to Start Season
It may not be as impressive as the renowned streak that FIU's Garrett Wittels had come to an end on opening day, but senior Jason Brooks will be trying to extend a 10-game hitting streak with which he finished the 2010 season. By the way, Wittels got a hit in his 56th consecutive game last year against Dartmouth, but had his season ended by the Big Green in the NCAA Regionals thanks to a 15-9 Green victory in an elimination game.
Strike-Seeking Pitches
For each of the last two years, Dartmouth pitchers have walked fewer batters per nine innings than any other Division I team. Last year, Green hurlers issued just 1.95 free passes per nine innings, with Kyle Hunter ninth among individuals at 1.16. Two other Dartmouth pitchers ranked among the top 40 — Cole Sulser (1.54, 29th) and Robert Young (1.64, 39th).
Road Warriors
As is custom for Dartmouth, it will begin the season on the road for all of March and into April. The first 13 games — and 18 of the first 19 — will be played away from Hanover. The home schedule begins on March 30 against Siena.
Saves Leader Back for More
Senior right-hander Ryan Smith opens his final collegiate campaign as the all-time saves leader in Ivy League history with 24 to his credit, including a league-record 11 as a sophomore. He also has pitched in more games in Dartmouth history than anyone before him.
Playing the Numbers
Last year, Dartmouth played four ranked teams a total of five times — Virginia (#1) twice and Ohio State (#22) early in the season, then Miami (#11) and Texas A&M (#20) in the NCAA Regional. As of right now, there is not a ranked team on the schedule, although UCF is getting votes in the polls. The last ranked team Dartmouth beat was #21 Pepperdine in 2006 by a 3-2 margin in 11 innings, although the Big Green lost two of their five games last year by just a single run.
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