Game Notes
Live Stats
Live Audio
Live Video

ELON, N.C. -- The third-seeded Elon baseball team will get its 2012 Southern Conference Tournament started with a 1 p.m. game against sixth-seeded Georgia Southern at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C., on Wednesday afternoon.  All of Elon's games will be carried live on WPCM 920 AM and online at elonphoenix.com.

Probable Starting Pitchers:
Wednesday
  EU: LH Dylan Clark (9-3, 3.43 ERA) vs. GSU: RH Chris Beck (5-7, 3.79 ERA)

Phoenix BaseBLOG
Fans of Elon baseball can get an inside look at the team this year thanks to a blog being written by junior outfielder Niko Fraser.  The blog can be found at www.elonbaseball.wordpress.com or by clicking the link at the top of the Elon baseball home page at elonphoenix.com.

Scouting The Bracket
Second-seeded College of Charleston shared the 2012 regular-season crown with Appalachian State and enters the tournament with a 37-18 overall record.  The Cougars are hitting .267 with 344 runs scored, 104 doubles, 17 triples, 60 homers and 58 RBI.  The pitching staff sports a 3.12 ERA and is holding opponents to a .234 batting average.  CofC hurlers have walked 160 and fanned 444 in 492.2 innings this year.

Sixth-seeded Georgia Southern is 30-26 on the year as the tournament starts.  The Eagles are hitting .282 wiht 321 runs scored, 102 doubles, seven triples, 33 home runs and 83 stolen bases this season.  On the mound, GSU pitchers have a 4.51 ERA while opponents are hitting .270.  In 495.0 innings, the staff has recorded 440 strikeouts while walking 189.

Seventh-seeded The Citadel enters the tournament at 24-31 on the year.  The Bulldog offense hits at a .251 clip and has scored 249 runs.  The squad has 89 doubles, 16 triples, 18 homers and 68 stolen bases.  The pitching staff has a 4.32 ERA and opponents are hitting .279 off the Bulldogs.  In 483.0 innings the staff has 315 Ks and 225 walks.

Elon Skipper Mike Kennedy
Elon head coach Mike Kennedy is in his 16th season at the helm of the Phoenix program.  The 1991 Elon graduate is the program’s all-time winningest coach and has compiled a career record of 541-376-3 (.590).

Series Notes
Against the teams in its bracket, Elon posted an 8-1 record this season.  The maroon and gold was 3-0 against both Georgia Southern and The Citadel and went 2-1 against CofC.  All-time Elon is 18-16 vs. Georgia Southern, 19-17 vs. The Citadel and 14-20 against College of Charleston.

Near the Top
Since joining the Southern Conference for the 2004 season, Elon has never finished worse than fourth in the league standings.  The Phoenix placed fourth in each of its first two years in the SoCon before claiming the first of its four conference crowns in 2006.  Elon was third in 2007 and won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009.  In 2010, the maroon and gold finished in a tie for third.  The Phoenix once again won the regular season last year.  Elon has won 20 or more SoCon games four times.

Winning Late
A year ago the Phoenix had a lot of late-inning drama.  In fact, Elon won 11 games in its final at bat during the 2011 season.

The Phoenix won its first game in its final at bat in game two of a doubleheader against George Mason on Feb. 18, rallying for four eighth-inning runs in a 4-3 victory.  Elon has six wins in its final at bat this year.

A Tough Road
Elon always plays a tough schedule and 2012 is no different.  The Phoenix will play 14 games against teams that participated in NCAA postseason play in 2011 including a three-game set at two-time defending national champion South Carolina.

Of Elon’s first 34 games in 2012, 15 were against opponents ranked in the top 30 at the time.  According to WarrenNolan.com, Elon’s strength of schedule ranks 34th in the nation on May 20.  UNCG has the second-toughest schedule in the SoCon at 51st according to the rankings.

Elon has played 10 games against teams ranked in the top 25 this year.  The only time that the Phoenix has played more games against top-25 foes in a season was 2007 when it competed in 11 such games.  Elon also played 10 games against the top 25 in 2005.

Can We Just Play 9?
Elon has played eight extra inning games in 2012.  Four of have gone 11 innings and one went 18 innings.  The maroon and gold is 5-3 in those seven games.  In both 2010 and 2011 Elon played six extra inning bouts.

30+
With its 18-5 win over The Citadel, Elon has now recorded 13 consecutive seasons with at least 30 wins. Elon has won 33, 30, 34, 34, 31, 32, 45, 32, 44, 41, 38 and 36 games prior to 2012.  In this time, the Phoenix has made five NCAA Division I Regional appearances (2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010).

That Was Quick
Game one of Elon’s series with The Citadel was played at a rapid pace.  The nine-inning contest was completed in just one hour, 52 minutes with the maroon and gold capturing a 2-1 victory.  It was the second Phoenix contest to be completed in under two hours this year.  The other was the one hour, 58 minute win over Akron in the season opener.

Tough to K
Last year catcher Alex Swim was one of the toughest hitters in the nation to strike out.  Swim fanned just 11 times in 236 at bats as a sophomore.  He ranked 12th nationally with one K in every 21.5 at bats.

This season, Swim has struck out 10 times in 224 at bats, or one K every 22.4 at bats.

Nail-biters
Under skipper Mike Kennedy, Elon has played 206 one-run games.  The maroon and gold has gone 107-99 (.519) in those contests.

Closing it Out
Since 2007 Elon has been very good at closing out games.  The Phoenix has gone a combined 186-14 (.930) when leading after seven innings and 191-13 (.936) when holding a lead following the eighth inning.

Home Sweet Home
Traditionally, Elon has played well at Latham Park.  Under Mike Kennedy, Elon has posted a 301-124-1 (.708) record at its on-campus stadium.

The State of North Carolina Baseball
Records Since 2000 (Elon’s 1st DI Year)
North Carolina 589-241-1
East Carolina 524-273-3
North Carolina St. 473-307
ELON 461-303-2
UNC Wilmington 434-274-1
Western Carolina 413-332-2
Charlotte 410-308-2
Wake Forest 395-339-2
UNCG 388-337
Appalachian St. 318-389-3
Campbell 316-391-1
Duke 311-411-1
High Point 288-434-1
North Carolina A&T 283-422
UNC Asheville 266-451
Gardner-Webb* 252-252-1
Davidson 251-402
N.C. Central^ 18-32
* Moved to DI in 2003
^ Moved to DI in 2012