Mountaineers Return Home
April 27, 2009 07:33 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
April 27, 2009
GAME NOTES | LIVE IN-GAME BLOGGING
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University baseball team begins its nine-game homestand with back-to-back nonconference games against Morehead State and Maryland beginning on Tuesday, April 28, at Hawley Field.
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| Fans are encouraged to pack the park with gold for Wednesday night's game against Maryland.
WVU photo |
WVU faces Morehead State on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. It follows with a matchup against Atlantic Coast Conference rival Maryland on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
WVU’s contest against Maryland on Wednesday has been selected as “Gold Rush” night. Fans are encouraged to wear gold and pack the park against one of WVU’s long-standing opponents in the Terrapins (20-24, 6-18). Select prizes will be given to Mountaineer Maniac members throughout the game.
“We're looking forward to our last homestand of the year,” Coach Greg Van Zant said. “We always enjoy playing at home and playing in front of our fans."
The Mountaineers (28-12, 11-7) are looking to get back to their winning ways, carrying a five-game losing streak after losing two of three at Notre Dame and then getting swept at USF last weekend. WVU owns a 16-3 record at Hawley Field, and has won seven straight nonconference games.
WVU played Morehead State once this season, defeating the Eagles (15-24, 8-9), 13-9, on a game-winning grand slam by Dan DiBartolomeo in the eighth inning. The Mountaineers hold a 7-3 all-time record against Morehead State dating back to 1976.
DiBartolomeo continues to lead the Mountaineers with a .431 average while starting all 40 games at third base. The Margate, N.J., native has made a dramatic improvement over his .275 average in 2008, and has four home runs, 39 RBIs and is tied for third on the team with 14 doubles.
The sophomore went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored in WVU’s last contest against Morehead State on March 17.
Vince Belnome is also hitting over .400, batting .405 with five home runs and a conference-leading 60 RBIs. The Coatesville, Pa., native tallied four more RBIs over the weekend to stay in pursuit of breaking Mark Landers’ single-season record of 81 RBIs in 1994. Through 40 games, Belnome’s current total is nine more than Landers, who drove in 51 runs through his first 40 games in 1994.
The Eagles are led by talented infielder Drew Lee, who is batting .463 with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs. Lee was recently named to the College Baseball Foundation’s National All-Star Lineup, and shared honors as the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week during the week of April 20.
Morehead State has faced two other BIG EAST squads this season in Cincinnati and Louisville. The Eagles fell to the Bearcats, 10-5, on April 21, and lost a hard-fought contest to UofL on March 18, 11-10.
The Eagles boast a formidable offense, carrying seven position players who show a .300 or better average. MHU is batting .331 as a club.
Maryland is coming off a three-game series in which they were swept by No. 1 North Carolina. UM lost game one, 7-4, and fell in game three by another close margin of 4-2.
UM has played a difficult conference schedule, having faced four Atlantic Coast Conference opponents who are currently ranked in the Top 25 of the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll. The Terrapins earned a quality win at No. 15 Virginia on April 4, defeating the Cavaliers, 8-7.
Junior outfielder A.J. Casario leads UM with a .329 mark, while senior third baseman Mike Murphy has a team-high nine home runs and 37 RBIs in 2009.
WVU trails in its all-time series with Maryland, 17-31.The Terrapins last came to Hawley Field on April 24, 2007, falling to the Mountaineers, 13-2, in front of a school-record 1,174 fans.
