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5/12/2008 - BASEBALL
This Week in A-Sun Baseball
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Courtesy BelmontBruins.com
This Week in A-Sun Baseball
A-Sun Series of the Week
Thursday-Friday, May 15-16
Belmont at Mercer
Claude Smith Field/Macon, Ga.
The two teams that clinched berths in next week's Atlantic Sun Baseball Championship presented by Progress Energy will meet in Macon, Ga. with the winner likely to earn second seed at the event. Belmont and Mercer each secured its trip to Deland, Fla.last weekend and enter the final series three games in back of Lipscomb for the top spot and one game ahead of Gardner-Webb for the fourth seed. Last season in Nashville, Tenn., each of the three games between the Bears and Bruins was decided by one run, with Belmont taking game one, 6-5, and game three, 9-8. Mercer prevailed for the 5-4 victory in game two.
A-Sun Notables
EAGLES COAST TO REGULAR-SEASON TITLE
By sweeping ETSU in the Saturday doubleheader, Florida Gulf Coast clinched the
A-Sun regular-season title the third title for the program in this, its inaugural
year in the conference (volleyball, shared softball). The Eagles became the
third team in A-Sun history to win a regular-season championship in their first
year in the league and the first to win a the title in the one-division alignment.
Troy, in 1998, and Jacksonville State, in 1996, each captured division titles.
Troy and Jacksonville State each won the West Division. At 24-6, the Eagles
established the record for the most conference wins by a program in their first
year in the A-Sun, breaking the record set in 1999 when Jacksonville finished
its first year at 22-8, good enough for a .733 winning percentage. The Eagles
own an .800 win percentage and must avoid being swept by USC Upstate to better
the Dolphins' mark. Should the Eagles sweep the Spartans, they would
tie FIU’s record for most conference wins in a single season. In 1995, the Panthers
went 27-3 in the league.
TWO
MORE TICKETS PUNCHED TO DELAND
Mercer and Belmont each landed berths to the 2008 Atlantic Sun Baseball
Championship presented by Progress Energy by winning series against Lipscomb
and Campbell, respectively. Three spots remain unclaimed and no team has been
eliminated from the race as ETSU, currently last at 9-21 in A-Sun play, face
Stetson, currently holding down the sixth seed with a 12-18 record, in Johnson
City, Tenn. If the Buccaneers swept and Campbell, one game behind Stetson, also
got swept, ETSU would earn the sixth and final spot. With one weekend left,
no seeding has been determined. Lipscomb can earn the top spot by winning once
at Campbell. Gardner-Webb locks in its berth with a win or one loss by Campbell.
DOLPHINS CHOP DOWN 'NOLES
On Wednesday, after seven years of frustration, Jacksonville shocked No.
3 Florida State at Dick Howser Stadium, snapping the Seminoles' 25-game home
win streak against the Dolphins. Prior to this win, Jacksonville had not captured
a victory at Howser Stadium since April 29, 1991. The Dolphins have now defeated
the Seminoles in back-to-back season for the first time since 1993-94. The win
also gave the Dolphins their third win over a ranked opponent this season (No.
25 UCF, No. 17 Florida) and back-to-back seasons with victories over the Gators
and Seminoles.
A-Sun Players of the Week
Vinnie Scarduzio, FGCU (Sr. - OF - Jupiter, Fla. - Criminal Justic)
Pete Woodworth, FGCU (So. - SP - St. Petersburg, Fla. - Athletic Training)
