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ELON, N.C. -- With four teams, including Elon, in a four-way tie atop the Southern Conference baseball standings, the Phoenix will make its last league road trip of the year by visiting Wofford for a three game series this weekend.  Game times are set for 6 p.m. on Friday, 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday in Spartanburg, S.C.

Probable Starting Pitchers:
Friday
   EU - LH Dylan Clark (7-2, 3.55 ERA) vs. WC - RH Brandon Yarusi (3-4, 3.19 ERA)
Saturday
   EU - RH Kyle Webb (3-3, 3.51 ERA) vs. WC - LH Pete Noordsy (2-1, 2.61 ERA)
Sunday
   EU - LH Spencer Medick (1-2, 2.96 ERA) vs. WC - LH Cash Collins (3-5, 6.00 ERA)

In-Game Chat
If you can not be at any of the Phoenix’s road games, join in with Elon’s free interactive live online chat.  Just click on the link on the Elon baseball home page.

Elon Baseball Live
This year, WPCM 920 AM will broadcast three editions of Elon Baseball Live featuring Phoenix head coach Mike Kennedy.  Hosted by Taylor Durham, the final show will be May 15 at 7 p.m. at The Fat Frogg.

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 Wofford
Wofford enters this weekend series with an overall mark of 14-22 and a 3-12 ledger in Southern Conference play.  The Terriers did not play a mid-week game and were swept by Davidson in their last SoCon set.

The Wofford offense is led by Mac Doyle who leads the team with a .368 batting average, 24 runs, nine doubles, eight homers and 31 RBI.  He is also second on the team with two triples and 12 stolen bases.  As a team, the Terriers are hitting .251 with 167 runs scored, 47 doubles, 19 homers and 61 stolen bases.

On the mound, this weekend’s rotation has combined to go 8-10 with a 3.95 ERA, 131 strikeouts and 60 walks.  As a team, Wofford has a 4.73 ERA and has struck out 292 hitters in 319.2 innings.  The staff has allowed 152 walks and has held opponents to a .265 batting average.

Wofford head coach Todd Interdonato is in his fifth year as a collegiate head coach, all with the Terriers.  In that time he has compiled a career record of 94-160.

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 532-369-3 (.590).

Series Notes
Elon and Wofford have faced off 44 times on the diamond prior to this weekend series.  The maroon and gold is 35-9 in those contests after a series sweep in Elon last year.  Since joining the SoCon in 2004, the Phoenix has gone 21-4 against the Terriers.

Watch This
Elon junior catcher Alex Swim was named as one of the 43 catchers on the official watch list for the 2012 Johnny Bench Award.  The Johnny Bench Award is presented by BaseballSavings.com and is handed out by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission.

Those on the list were nominated by their coaches and is presented annually to the top catcher at the NCAA Division I ranks.  The list will be updated until May 7, 2012.  Nominees must serve as a team’s starting catcher in at least 75 percent of the squad’s games.

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 five 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 12th in the nation on April 19.  Furman has the second-toughest schedule in the SoCon at 43rd 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 seven extra inning games in 2012.  Four of have gone 11 innings and one went 18 innings.  The maroon and gold is 4-3 in those seven games.  In both 2010 and 2011 Elon played six extra inning bouts.

Panther Sweep
With its 12-3 victory over High Point on April 18, Elon earned a season series sweep over its Triad rival.  It marked the first time that the Phoenix had taken both games of a season series with the Panthers since 2006, although Elon did win the only meeting in 2009.

Close, But...
In a seven-game span from game two of a doubleheader at Furman on April 7 through April 18, Elon carried a shutout into the ninth inning on three occasions.  The Phoenix would lose all three blankings in the ninth inning.  In fact, two of the shutouts were broken up with two outs in the ninth (at Furman and vs. East Carolina).  The third was a 12-3 win over High Point.

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 seven times in 161 at bats, or one K every 23.0 at bats.

Closing it Out
Since 2007 Elon has been very good at closing out games.  The Phoenix has gone a combined 178-13 (.932) when leading after seven innings and 183-13 (.934) when holding a lead following the eighth inning.

The State of North Carolina Baseball
Records Since 2000 (Elon’s 1st DI Year)
North Carolina 576-238-1
East Carolina 516-266-3
North Carolina St. 459-304
ELON 452-296-2
UNC Wilmington 420-270-1
Western Carolina 406-323-2
Charlotte 405-297-2
Wake Forest 386-333-2
UNCG 382-327
Campbell 309-382-1
Appalachian St. 306-384-3
Duke 306-402-1
High Point 285-423-1
North Carolina A&T 278-410
UNC Asheville 258-445
Davidson 249-390
Gardner-Webb* 243-244-1
N.C. Central^ 11-26
* Moved to DI in 2003
^ Moved to DI in 2012