BACK HOME: After spending the first four weekends away from home and playing 13 of the first 14 games of the season on the road, the Seattle University baseball team begins a six-game homestand this weekend with a four-game series against the Matadors of Cal State Northridge from the Big West Conference. Over the next two months, SeattleU will play 24 of 35 games at home as it looks to improve on its early-season performances.
THE REBIRTH: On Sept. 14, 2007, at the annual O'Brien Open fundraising event, it was announced that Seattle University would be adding five varsity sports, including baseball. One of the first intercollegiate sports offered by then-Seattle College, baseball was dropped after the 1986 season. On July 1, 2008, former UW assistant coach Donny Harrel began his tenure as SeattleU head baseball coach. During the 2008-09 academic year, Harrel and his staff worked with six players who entered SeattleU, used their redshirt seasons, and kept in shape while Harrel began recruiting those that would make up the rest of the inaugural roster. At 12:04 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, at Bailey-Brayton Field in Pullman, Wash., senior Doug Buser saw the first pitch thrown in a intercollegiate baseball game involving Seattle University in 24 years.
LIFE OF RILEY: During that first game against Washington State, first baseman Riley Tompkins notched two significant firsts for the SeattleU baseball program. Leading off the second inning with the Redhawks' first hit, a single to right field, Tompkins would come around and score SeattleU's first run since 1986. Later in the game, Tompkins would hit SeattleU's first home run in a Division I game in 30 years, a shot over the right field fence. Starting 13 of the team's first 14 games so far this season, Tompkins has 11 hits, including three doubles and two home runs, and has scored seven runs for SeattleU.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday, March 19 - 6 p.m. start: #32 Ryan Juarez (RHP, 1-1, 4.76 ERA) vs. #23 Brandon Kizer (RHP, 0-0, 7.13 ERA)
Saturday, March 20 - 1 p.m. start - Game 1 of doubleheader - 7 Innings: #24 Paul Tremlin (RHP, 3-1, 3.71 ERA) vs. #21 Arlo Evasick (RHP, 1-2, 6.75 ERA)
Saturday, March 20 - Game 2 of doubleheader - 9 Innings: #27 Shawn Wilyman (RHP, 0-2, 7.36 ERA) vs. #19 Conor Spink (LHP, 0-3, 9.16 ERA)
Sunday, March 21 - 11 a.m. start: TBA vs. #35 Brian Shannon (RHP, 1-1, 8.47 ERA)
SCOUTING CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE: The Matadors come into the weekend series with a 9-6 overall record after defeating UNLV, 13-7, at Matador Field in Northridge, Calif., on Tuesday. Playing in only his third game of the season, Brad Decater went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and seven runs batted in with a double and two home runs. As a team, Cal State Northridge is batting .323, has a 6.35 earned run average, and also has notched a .961 fielding percentage with 23 errors in 15 games. C.J. Belanger leads the team in hitting with a .426 batting average. Ryan Pineda is batting .333 with 21 runs scored, four doubles, a triple, three home runs, 19 runs batted in, and 11 stolen bases. Dominic D'Anna is batting .370 with three home runs and 18 runs batted in, while Decater now has four home runs in just 11 plate appearances so far this season. Paul Tremlin enters his scheduled start Saturday with a 3-1 record and a 3.71 earned run average, picking up 13 strikeout in 17 innings of work. Friday starter Ryan Juarez is 1-1 with a 4.76 earned run average, striking out 23 opposing batters in 28 1/3 innings on the mound. Reliever Jimmy Jolicoeur is 1-0 with two saves, not giving up an earned run in 8 2/3 innings of pitching with eight strikeouts. These will be the first meetings all-time between Cal State Northridge and Seattle University.
WEATHER FORECAST: According to The Weather Channel, Friday night will be partly cloudy with temperatures in the low 40s. Saturday is set to be partly cloudy with temperatures rising to the mid-60s, followed by mostly cloudy skies with temperature in the low 60s on Sunday. The chance of precipitation is set at about 20% for the weekend.