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SLU’s Brock, ‘Bama’s Morgan Headline Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll … CollegeBaseball360.com has announced its fifth group of Primetime Performers, for action during the third week of March. St. Louis University senior first baseman Danny Brock (Loveland, Colo.) is the CB360 Primetimer Player of the Week while Alabama sophomore lefthander Adam Morgan (Marietta, Ga.) is the Primetime Pitcher of the Week.

Danny Brock

Adam Morgan

Brock and Morgan are joined by 14 other clutch players from throughout the nation in comprising the CB360 Primetime Performer Weekly Honor Roll for May 15-21.

BROCK – son of 10-year Major Leaguer Greg Brock (’82-86 Dodgers; ’87-’91 Brewers) – played a lead role in SLU’s doubleheader sweep of a Kansas team that was #25 in the CB360 Composite National Rankings (KU was fresh off a pair of wins at national power LSU). During the pair of convincing wins (12-8/8-5), the 3-hole hitter Brock smacked his 10th home run of the season while batting 4-for-8, reaching base two other times (BB, HBP) and factoring directly into half  of the Billikens’ 20 runs (6 RBI, 5 R).

Danny Brock scored or drove in 10 of SLU's 20 runs during the convincing doubleheader sweep of #25 Kansas.

The 6-1, 210-pount righthanded hitter led the way for a SLU offense that roughed up a pair of the KU pitching staff’s top righthanded starters – junior T.J. Walz (a 2009 all-Big 12 Conference performer) and senior Cameron Selik. Walz was touched for eight runs and nine hits in 6.1 innings (2BB-6K) while Selik surrendered seven runs and eight hits in 6.0 IP (2BB-7K). Walz was the Jayhawks’ game-1 winner one week earlier at LSU while Selik had started and won the series clincher vs. the defending national champions.

Brock’s three-run homer in the bottom of the 7th put SLU ahead for good in the opener vs. Kansas (3-for-4, 5RBI-3R-BB) and he tacked on another strong effort in the game-2 victory (1B-RBI-2R-HBP). He ended the week with a .405 season batting average and was the Atlantic 10 Conference leader in home runs (10), RBI (36), slugging percentage (.892), walks (17) and runs scored (24), plus third in the A-10 with a .525 on-base percentage. He entered this week with an eye-popping 1.417 season “OPS” (on-base plus slugging), through 20 games.

CLICK HERE to listen to a podcast interview with Brock.

MORGAN delivered #21 Alabama’s 4-1 opening victory in its series win vs. a Vanderbilt team listed 17th in the CB360 composite rankings. The 6-1/180-pound lefthander shut out the Southeastern Conference’s top offense through six innings, ultimately allowing only on run on six hits and three walks through 6.2 innings (3 Ks). The Commodores entered the game with a gaudy .352 team batting average while averaging nearly nine runs and 12 hits per game in the first 17 games of the season (VU was 15-2 before losing to Morgan and the Tide in game-1). Morgan did not allow a Vanderbilt runner to reach second base until there was two outs in the seventh, which also is when VU managed its only extra-base hit of the day vs. Morgan (an Anthony Gomez double; VU’s five other hits vs. Morgan included four 2-out singles with nobody on base).

Adam Morgan shut out the SEC's top offense (#17 Vanderbilt) through six innings, leading the Tide to a game-1 victory and eventual series win.

In addition to the challenge of facing the Vanderbilt hitters, Morgan had the added pressure of knowing that VU sophomore RHP Sonny Gray (a projected 1st-rounder in 2011) would be facing his teammates. Morgan proved up to the task, rolling up a 1-2-3 inning to start his outing, then allowing a leadoff walk to Jason Esposito but quickly erasing the runner on a pickoff play. Brian Harris had a 2-out single vs. Morgan in the third but was stranded at first, as was cleanup hitter Andrew Giobbi after his single in the fourth.

Gomez managed a 2-out single in the fifth, but was forced out at second. Bryan Johns earned a leadoff walk vs. Morgan in the sixth, but he was caught stealing and Giobbi later was stranded at first following his 2-out single. Vanderbilt’s only run came in the seventh, courtesy of two more 2-out hits.

Similar to the weekly awards presented on sister site CollegeSoccer360.com, the CB360 Primetime Performer honors various players based on any/all of the following “primetime” criteria…not solely based on raw stats.

Primetime Performer Award Criteria
• Must have been playing for or against a CB360 top-50 team (in the Composite National Rankings)  or performed a high level in a game that could be key to a team’s conference/NCAA postseason qualification.
• Involved in clutch performances, such as late game-winning hits, noteworthy comebacks, game-changing plays, team leadership, etc.
• Performing at a top level against a team rated highly nationally (or within its conference), with bonus consideration given for key performances away from home field and vs. traditional rivals.
• Overcoming adversity or extreme circumstances (for the team and/or individual).
• Any accomplishment that is rare, historic, record-setting, etc., on a national level.
The other 14 members of the CB360 Primetime Performer Weekly Honor Roll include: Utah sophomore catcher C.J. Cron (Phoenix, Ariz.), Arkansas jr. CF/RHP Brett Eibner (Houston, Texas), Ball State righthanded reliever Perci Garner (Dover, Ohio), Maryland 1B/RH closer Dan Gentzler (Berwyn, Pa.), Stanford jr. catcher Zach Jones (Draper, Utah), LSU so. LHP Chris Matulis (Lake Worth, Fla.), Florida State jr. RF/RH closer Mike McGee (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), Mississippi LHP Drew Pomeranz (Collierville, Tenn.), Fordham 5th-yr. sr. DH Angelo Ponte (Old Tappart, N.J.), Arizona fr. LF Robert Refsnyder (Laguna Hills, Calif.), High Point jr. RF Nate Roberts (Spring Grove, Ill.), San Diego jr. SS Tony Strazzara (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Florida so. 1B Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.) and Charlotte senior catcher Zane Williams (Claremore, Okla.).

C.J. Cron

Brett Eibner

Perci Garner

Dan Gentzler

Zach Jones

Chris Matulis

Mike McGee

Drew Pomeranz

Angelo Ponte

Robert Refsnyder

Nate Roberts

Tony Strazzara

Preston Tucker

Zane Williams

The 16 honorees include three two-way players (RHP/RF; CF/RHP; 1B/RHP), four other pitchers (three of them lefties), three catchers, two first basemen, a shortstop, leftfielder, rightfielder and DH. The selections feature a 5th-year senior, three seniors, seven juniors, four sophomore and the freshman Refsnyder. Three of the players are Florida natives and two are Arizona products, with all of the others coming from different home states: California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah.

Primetime Performer Weekly Honor Roll #5 (March 15-21)

(presented by CollegeBaseball360.com)
“It’s not so much what you do, as it is when you do it.”

Player (Pos.) … School … Yr. … Hometown … Stats & Notes
*Danny Brock (1B) … St. Louis … Sr. . … Loveland, CO
Smacked 10th HR of season while batting 4-8 from 3-hole and factoring into 10 runs (6RBI-5R; BB-HBP) during sweep of #25 Kansas (12-8/8-5)

C.J. Cron (C) … Utah … So. . … Phoenix, AZ
Went 6-10 with 10 RBI (7R-2HR-2B) from cleanup spot, in pair of wins over #29 New Mexico (16-2/9-8 in 10)

Brett Eibner (CF/RHP) … Arkansas … Jr. . … Houston, TX
Homered twice (4 RBI) in gm-1 win at  #6 LSU; started series finale on mound (6IP-3R/2ER-7H-2BB-7K)

Perci Garner (RHP) … Ball State … Jr. . … Dover, OH
Flamethrower posted 4-inning win at #8 Louisville (R-2H-6K; 5-1/UL’s 2nd loss in ’10)

Dan Gentzler (1B/RHP) … Maryland … Sr. . …  Berwyn, PA
Homered twice (4RBI-3R-BB) and took mound in 9th for save (man on 3rd; 1-3 groundout/KL/4-3), in 5-2 win over #12 Ga. Tech

Zach Jones (C) … Stanford … Jr. . … Draper, UT
9-hole hitter who went 8-12 (2 RBI-3R) in sweep of Pepperdine (9-8/10-6/11-6)

Chris Matulis (LHP) … LSU … So. . … Lake Worth, FL
Starting pitcher in series finale 5-1 win vs. #13 Arkansas (5.1IP-R-5H-4BB-6K)

Mike McGee (RF/RHP) … Florida State … Jr. . … Port St. Lucie, FL
3-hole hitter who went 4-for-9 (RBI, R) and saved both wins (1.2 total shutout IP; 4-3/5-3) in series at #19 UNC

*Adam Morgan (LHP) … Alabama … So. . … Marietta, GA
Held SEC’s top offense to one run, in 4-1 series opener at #17 Vanderbilt (6.2IP-6H-3BB-3K)

Drew Pomeranz (LHP) … Mississippi … Jr. . … Collierville, TN
Logged 6.0 shutout innings in 9-0 opener at #28 Kentucky (H-2BB-9K)

Angelo Ponte (DH) … Fordham … 5th-Yr.-Sr. . … Old Tappart, NJ
Factored into all of Rams’ runs (3RBI-R) during 4-3 win at #20 Miami

Robert Refsnyder (LF) … Arizona … Fr. . … Laguna Hills, CA
Hit 6-10 with 8 RBI (2R) in dominating DH vs. #32 Wichita St. (13-5/19-0)

Nate Roberts (RF) … High Point … Jr. . … Spring Grove, IL
Went 3-4 (3RBI-2R) as 3-hole hitter in 13-12 win over #24 East Carolina, then 2-4 (RBI-3R) vs. #42 VMI (15-14)

Tony Strazzard (SS) … San Diego … Jr. . … Scottsdale, AZ
2-hole hitter who went 4-for-9 (4R-RBI) in pair of wins over #22 Rice (6-4/6-5 in 10)

Preston Tucker (1B) … Florida … So. . … Tampa, FL
#3 hitter who had 4 RBI and went 2-for-4 (HR, BB) in 8-5 rivalry win over #7 Florida St.;  batted 5-12 (4 RBI-3R-2 HR-2B) in sweep of #43 Mississippi St. (7-2/5-4/4-1)

Zane Williams (C) … Charlotte … Sr. . … Claremore, OK
Factored into 5 runs (4RBI-R-2B-2 BB) during 11-10 win over #5 Clemson

* – Brock is the CB360 Primetime Player of the Week and Morgan the Primetime Pitcher of the Week … note that rankings above refer to the CB360 top-50 … class years are based on academic standing (some players may have an extra year of eligibility)

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FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Fairfield University Baseball Head Coach John Slosar announced the Stags’ 2010 slate this afternoon. The schedule includes opponents from the Big East, the CAA, the Atlantic-10, the Horizon League, and the Ivy League.

Fairfield head coach John Slosar

13-14, for a three-game series with the Hornets.

Complete 2010 Fairfield Schedule

Fairfield returns to the Northeast on March 16 for a single game against Big East foe St. John’s. The Stags open play at Alumni Diamond on March 18 when they host Quinnipiac. It’s the first of three games against the Bobcats that the Stags will play this season. The two teams will also meet in Hamden, Conn. on April 10 and will be back at Alumni Diamond on April 11.

The Stags will head to Hofstra, March 20-21, for a four-game tilt with the CAA foes. Fairfield will also travel to Sacred Heart and Hartford before opening MAAC play at Saint Peter’s on March 27. After non-league home games against Fordham and Bryant, the Stags will host Rider during Easter weekend for their first MAAC home series. The two teams will play a doubleheader on April 3 followed by a single game on April 5. The Stags will host three additional MAAC series which includes Manhattan, Canisius, and the regular season finale against Marist, May 20-21.

Fairfield will have several weekday non-conference games throughout the month of April. The Stags travel to Yale for a doubleheader on April 14, host UConn on April 20 and Sacred Heart on April 27, head to Stony Brook on April 28, and will have home and home series with Central Connecticut.

Fairfield went 20-27 overall and 10-14 in the MAAC last season. The Stags return eight starting position players and six starting pitchers, including senior captains David Dudish, Bill Rafferty, and Rob Gariano, a First Team All-MAAC selection.

(Release)

Blue Devils Release Challenging Slate

Duke Head Coach Sean McNally

North Carolina and Virginia, NCAA Super Regional qualifiers Clemson and Florida State and NCAA Regional teams Baylor, Georgia, Boston College, Miami and Georgia Tech.

Complete 2010 Duke Schedule (PDF)

Five of those series will take place at home in Durham, N.C., with four being played at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home to the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. The home sets against North Carolina, Miami, Clemson and Virginia will all be played at the DBAP, while the three-game showdown against Florida State will be at Jack Coombs Field on the West Campus of Duke University.

The Blue Devil baseball program recently announced an agreement with the Durham Bulls to play 18 home games in 2010 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which is one of the top minor league facilities in the country and will now serve as one of the top-tier venues in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Along with the aforementioned conference series at the DBAP, Duke will also host Fordham and Temple for a pair of three-game sets at the park.

Duke’s schedule boasts 11 teams that won at least 30 games in 2009 and four that finished with at least 40 wins. Duke’s 2010 opponents combined for a 654-575 (.531) record last year. Of Duke’s 56 games scheduled for 2010, 25 will be played against 2009 NCAA Tournament participants.

Rounding out Duke’s ACC schedule will be road trips to Boston College, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and NC State. Exempt from the Blue Devils’ ACC slate this year is Maryland, which will be replaced on the 2010 slate by Florida State, who Duke has not played since 2006.

Duke will still use Jack Coombs Field, its home stadium since 1931 on the West Campus of Duke University, as a practice facility and home field. Along with the home series against Florida State, Duke will host non-conference foes Quinnipiac, High Point, William and Mary, Davidson, UNC Greensboro, North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central at Jack Coombs Field. The Blue Devils will also make road trips to non-conference opponents Wofford and Liberty.

Duke’s 2010 season opens on Feb. 19, 2010, in Waco, Texas, as part of the QTI Apparel Opening Weekend Classic, hosted by Baylor where Duke will face both Baylor and Georgia. The season finale takes place on May 22 at NC State, just before the start of the ACC Tournament on May 26-30 in Greensboro, N.C.

(Release)

Red Storm schedule features 55 games, including 24 at home

St. John's Head Coach Ed Blankmeyer

Complete 2010 St. John’s Schedule (PDF)

The Red Storm will open the season with a three-game set at New Orleans beginning on Feb. 19. The series will mark the first time that the teams have met since St. John’s took a pair of games from the Privateers in 1989.

The schedule continues with three games as part of the second annual Big Ten-BIG EAST Challenge. After opening against Minnesota on Feb. 26, St. John’s will play Michigan on Feb. 27 and conclude play in the challenge against Illinois on Feb. 28.

St. John’s will then embark on a seven-game road trip that will take the team through Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia in a span of 10 days. The Red Storm will play three games at East Tennessee State from March 5-7 before taking on North Carolina for one game on March 10. St. John’s will conclude the trip with a three-game set at Liberty from March 12-14, the first-ever meetings between the Red Storm and the Flames.

The Red Storm then returns to Queens for a five-game home stand, beginning with the March 16 home-opener against Fairfield. After three games against Albany from March 19-21, St. John’s will host Columbia on March 23.

BIG EAST play opens for St. John’s with a three-game set at Pittsburgh from March 26-28. The Red Storm then hosts LIU for one midweek game on March 30, before hosting Seton Hall for three games. St. John’s and the Pirates will play a double-header on April 1 before a single game on April 3.

After traveling to Wagner for an April 7 contest, the Red Storm will play four-straight home games beginning with a three-game set with West Virginia from April 7-9 and ending with a game against Hofstra on April 14.

St. John’s takes to the road for a three-game series at Cincinnati from April 16-18 before returning home for five games in Queens beginning with a midweek game against Princeton on April 20. Following an April 21 game against Fordham, the Red Storm hosts Georgetown for three games from April 23-25.

Following an April 27 contest at NYIT and a home game against FDU on April 28, the Red Storm heads to Notre Dame for a three-game series from April 30-May 2.

The Red Storm returns home to host Iona on May 4 before welcoming USF for three games from May 7-9. St. John’s closes out play at home on May 11 against NYIT.

St. John’s will play its final seven games on the road, beginning with a three-game set at Louisville from May 14-16. Following a single game at Boston College on May 18, the Red Storm concludes regular season play with three games at Rutgers from May 20-22.

(Release)

Spiders to face seven NCAA Regional teams and two College World Series in 2010

Richmond Head Coach Mark McQueen

“We’re very excited about this year’s schedule,” said McQueen. “On paper, it’s one of the toughest we’ve played in quite some time. These early-season games should provide our veteran club with good tests to prepare us for the remainder of a difficult schedule.”

Complete Richmond 2010 Schedule (PDF)

The 2010 season opens with six of the first seven games in Jacksonville, Fla., as the Spiders are set to play in both the North Florida and Jacksonville invitationals on consecutive weekends. The season opener is Florida A&M on Feb. 19, followed by North Florida and Ohio State.

Richmond is home to host VMI in the Pitt Field opener on Feb. 23, before returning to the Sunshine State to battle Valparaiso, Jacksonville and Oklahoma.

Also highlighting the schedule are home-and-home series with Commonwealth rivals George Mason, Old Dominion, Longwood and VMI. The in-city rivalry with VCU is set for April 6 at The Diamond and April 14 at Pitt Field.

Atlantic 10 play opens with the Spiders hosting Fordham at Pitt Field March 26-28, with A-10 Champion Xavier in town the following weekend.

Richmond’s other conference weekends are: Massachusetts (away), George Washington (home), Temple (away), Saint Joseph’s (home), Duquesne (away), Rhode Island (away) and the regular-season finale at home versus Charlotte.

The Spiders welcome back all but one position player and three pitchers off the 2009 club that was among the youngest in college baseball. Seven of Richmond’s starting position players in 2009 were either freshmen or sophomores.

Sophomore 2B Adam McConnell, who was an A-10 All-Rookie and Ping Freshman All-America last season, returns after leading the Spiders with a .355 average, while his 31 stolen bases were the most by a freshman in the NCAA last season, set a school freshman record and were the third-most ever in a single-season at Richmond.

McConnell, along with senior 3B Cameron Brown and senior SS Victor Croglio comprise one of the most talented defensive infields in the A-10. Brown batted .340 and slugged a team-leading 11 home runs, with Croglio drove in 16 runs, stole eight bases and committed just six errors in 119 chances.

Senior LHP Matt Zielinski anchors a pitching staff that lost its career saves leader in Brian Alas, righty starter Stephen Owens and reliever Josh Horn. Zielinski is an All-Conference performer who owns a 13-11 record, a 4.60 ERA, 178 strikeouts and 74 walks in his career.

Richmond finished 22-25 last season in its 94th season of baseball.

(Release)

Rams looking to build on their record-setting 2009 campaign

URI Head Coach Jim Foster

home runs and fielding percentage – the 2010 squad will look to pick up where it left off, returning all but three starters (two pitchers, one infielder) from a year ago.

Rhody opens the new season with a three-game series at Mississippi State (Feb. 19-21) before heading to Charlottesville, Va. for three games against the Virginia Cavaliers.

Complete 2010 Rhode Island Schedule

The Rams will spend March 6-11 in Winter Haven, Fla., facing various opponents who have yet to be determined. URI then travels to UNC Wilmington for a three-game series beginning on Friday, March 19. From there, Rhody will travel to William and Mary for a pair of games on the 23rd and 24th.

The Atlantic 10 portion of the schedule will feature home series against Charlotte (April 9-11), Massachusetts (April 16-18), Xavier (April 23-25), Richmond (May 14-16), and George Washington (May 20-22).

The Rams will travel to play three-game conference series at Temple (March 26-28), Fordham (April 1-3), Duquesne (April 30-May 2), and St. Bonaventure (May 7-9).

The Ram’s non-conference home schedule features games against Central Connecticut (March 30), Boston College (March 31), Quinnipiac (April 13), Bryant (April 14), Brown (April 27), Siena (April 28) and Northeastern (May 19).

Rhode Island will also face Northeastern (April 7), Sacred Heart (April 20) and Connecticut (April 21) on the road.

Atlantic 10 action will wrap up at the league’s 2010 Championship at Campbell’s Field in Camden, N.J., from May 26-29.