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ELON, N.C. -- The Elon baseball team will begin a stretch of nine consecutive home Southern Conference games by playing host to Triad rival UNCG in a three-game series this weekend.  Friday and Saturday will see first pitch at 6:30 p.m. while Sunday's finale will get underway at 1:30 p.m.  All three games can be heard live on WPCM 920 AM and at elonphoenix.com.

Following Sunday's finale, members of the Elon baseball team will have their heads shaved to help raise money for the St. Baldrick's Foundation to fight pediatric cancer.  So far, the Phoenix has raised over $10,000 for this worthy cause.  Donations can be made HERE.

Probable Starting Pitchers:
Friday
   EU - RH Kyle Webb (4-3, 3.13 ERA) vs. UNCG - RH Max Povse (2-2, 4.81 ERA)
Saturday
   EU - LH Dylan Clark (7-3, 3.82 ERA) vs. UNCG - LH Dylan Hathcock (3-3, 3.07 ERA)
Sunday
   EU - LH Spencer Medick (1-3, 2.82 ERA) vs. UNCG - RH Lee Gilliam (2-2, 3.06 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 UNCG
UNCG visits Elon with a 21-18 overall record and a 6-12 ledger in Southern Conference action.  The Spartans have won three in a row, including an 8-4 decision over #10 North Carolina on Tuesday.

Kris Richards paces the Spartan offense with a .344 batting average.  Trevor Edwards leads the team with 13 homers, 31 RBI and 30 runs scored.  As a unit, UNCG’s offense is hitting .281 with 221 runs scored, 72 doubles, nine triples, 34 homers and 28 stolen bases.

UNCG’s pitching staff sports a 4.49 ERA and has held opponents to a .254 batting average.  Spartan pitchers have issued 164 walks and struck out 262 hitters in 348.2 innings of work this season.

Mike Gaski is in his 22nd year as the skipper of the UNCG program.  In that time, he has posted a career mark of 653-531-1.

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 533-372-3 (.589).

Series Notes
Elon and UNCG have played 38 times prior to this weekend’s series.  The maroon and gold is 26-12 in those contests despite dropping two games to the Spartans in Greensboro last season.  In each of the past two seasons, the annual series was held at UNCG.  The last time the two met at Latham Park in 2009, Elon swept the three-game set.

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.

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 26th in the nation on April 25.  Furman has the second-toughest schedule in the SoCon at 36th 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.

Winning in the SoCon at Home
After winning two of the three games in its SoCon series against Appalachian State, Elon has now won 10 consecutive home conference series.  The maroon and gold last dropped a home SoCon set when it lost games two and three to Georgia Southern on April 10-11, 2010.

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 nine times in 176 at bats, or one K every 19.6 at bats.

Closing it Out
Since 2007 Elon has been very good at closing out games.  The Phoenix has gone a combined 179-13 (.932) when leading after seven innings and 184-13 (.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 578-241-1
East Carolina 517-269-3
North Carolina St. 462-305
ELON 453-299-2
UNC Wilmington 424-270-1
Western Carolina 407-326-2
Charlotte 406-300-2
Wake Forest 389-334-2
UNCG 385-328
Appalachian St. 310-384-3
Campbell 310-384-1
Duke 308-404-1
High Point 286-426-1
North Carolina A&T 278-413
UNC Asheville 260-447
Davidson 250-393
Gardner-Webb* 245-246-1
N.C. Central^ 12-28
* Moved to DI in 2003
^ Moved to DI in 2012