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ELON, N.C. -- The end of a five-game road stretch looms as the Elon baseball team pays a visit to the South Florida Bulls for a three-game weekend set.  The Phoenix, which has won three straight to sit at 3-1 on the year, will be meeting the Bulls for the first time in program history.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday
Elon: So. RH Kyle Webb (1-0, 3.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 2 R, 2 BB, 8 K)
USF: Sr. RH Randy Fontanez (0-1, 11.57 ERA, 4.2 IP, 6 R, 1 BB, 3 K)

Saturday
Elon: Sr. RH Ken Ferrer (0-0, 1.59 ERA, 5.2 IP, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K)
USF: Sr. LH Andrew Barbosa (0-1, 1.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K)

Sunday
Elon: TBA
USF: Fr. LH Nick Gonzalez (0-1, 3.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 1 R, 4 BB, 1 K)

Series History
This weekend marks the first time that Elon and South Florida have faced off on the baseball diamond.

Off to a Good Start
After dropping its 2011 opener at NC State, Elon rebounded to take the final two games of the series. Since 2005, Elon has now won its season-opening series in three out of four years when facing the same opponent all weekend (Elon played in tournaments in 2007 and 2010).

For its performance on opening weekend, Elon was named as an honorable mention Team of the Week by College Baseball Insider.

New Guys Go Yard
In his first at bat in an Elon uniform, junior second baseman Cyle Rasmus crushed a three-run homer in the season opener at North Carolina State. It was the first homer of the year for the Phoenix. The next day, freshman catcher/DH Ryan Kinsella belted a three-run shot at home vs. the Wolfpack for his first career homer.

Girdwood on Stopper of the Year Watch List
Forty-five players have been named to the initial watch list for the seventh annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball, as announced by the association Tuesday. Among those on the list is Elon’s Thomas Girdwood.

This marks the second consecutive season that Girdwood, a Charlotte, N.C. native, has appeared on the preseason list and the third time in his career that he has been considered for this award.

Girdwood enters the year as the owner of both the Elon and Southern Conference record for both single-season (17) and career (35) saves. His eight saves a year ago were 62nd in the country, but Girdwood ranked third nationally with 17 saves in 2009 and 35th in the country with 10 saves as a freshman.

A Tough Road
Elon always plays a tough schedule and 2011 is no different. The Phoenix will play 12 games against teams that participated in NCAA postseason play in 2010 including two dates with College World Series participant Clemson.

According to BoydsWorld.com the Phoenix’s slate is the toughest in the SoCon and the 109th toughest in the country this year. Below is the strength of schedule for each SoCon team according to the web site.

Elon - 109
Furman - 117
Col. of Charleston - 121
Western Carolina - 125
Samford - 131
Georgia Southern - 132
The Citadel - 139
Wofford - 146
Davidson - 152
UNC Greensboro - 161
Appalachian State - 177

30+
Elon has recorded 11 consecutive seasons with at least 30 victories after picking up win number 30 in game two at Wofford in 2010. Elon has won 33, 30, 34, 34, 31, 32, 45, 32, 44, 41 and 38 games prior to this season. The 45 victories in the 2006 campaign set a new school record. In this time, the Phoenix has made five NCAA Division I Regional appearances (2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010).

Phoenix Taking Down the ACC
In seven games against ACC competition last season, the Phoenix went 6-1. Elon earned two victories over Clemson (then ranked fifth in the nation), two over Wake Forest and one over both North Carolina (then ranked 20th in the country) and North Carolina State. Elon’s only loss came at North Carolina (then ranked 24th). The six wins are more than Maryland had against its ACC brethren. 

The Phoenix will play eight games against the ACC in 2011. So far, Elon is 2-1 against the league.

The State of North Carolina Baseball
(Records of D-I Programs Since 2000)
1. North Carolina 501-212-1
2. East Carolina 453-234-2
3. North Carolina State 401-268
4. ELON 396-259-2
5. UNC Wilmington 369-229-1
6. Western Carolina 361-281-1
7. Charlotte 350-261-2
8. Wake Forest 339-290-2
9. UNC Greensboro 331-292
10. Duke 269-349-1
11. Campbell 265-338-1
12. Appalachian State 252-348-3
13. North Carolina A&T 245-356
14. High Point 239-378-1
15. UNC Asheville 230-387
16. Gardner-Webb 225-228*
17. Davidson 218-344

* Gardner-Webb’s first D-I year was 2003