Marshall University Athletics
Herd Ready for Rattlers to Open 2015
2/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall baseball will head to Tallahassee, Fla., to open its 2015 campaign in a three-game series against Florida A&M beginning Friday, Feb. 13, at Moore-Kittles Field.
Friday's game is scheduled at 4 p.m., followed by Saturday's game at 1 p.m. The Sunday final starts at 10 a.m.
Fans can follow the @HerdBaseball twitter account for in-game updates. Live stat links will also be provided each game.
HAVE YOU HERD?
The Herd returns 21 letter winners from 2014, including seven starters. Returning standouts include sophomore outfielder Corey Bird (Pinch, W.Va.), junior pitcher Caleb Ross (Barboursville, W.Va.), and senior pitcher Josh King (Troup, Ga.) and senior first baseman TJ Diffenderfer (Mount Juliet, Tenn.).
Bird was a Conference USA All-Freshman pick and led the club last spring with a .292 batting average, 49 hits, and 15 stolen bases, while Ross was nationally ranked in the top three for pitching appearances. The southpaw holds the single-season record at Marshall with 36 appearances last spring, and recorded 25 consecutive showings without allowing a run.
King returns for an unexpected fifth season after going down with an injury just six games into the 2014 season. Diffenderfer led the last year's Herd with 29 RBI and 13 extra-base hits.
Bird and fellow West Virginian Michael Taylor (St. Albans, W.Va.) made headlines earlier this week, earning College Sports Madness Preseason All-C-USA awards. Bird was one of just four sophomores to earn first team honors, while the junior right-hander Taylor was named to the second team.
THE MOUND MAKEUP
Marshall senior Matt Margaritonda (Freehold, N.J.) is expected to get the opening day start, while junior Chase Boster (Stafford, Va.) is likely to start Saturday's contest. Sunday's starter is slated to be redshirt junior Lance Elder (Miami).
Margaritonda collected a team-high 13 starts and 58 strikeouts last season while holding a 4.23 ERA. Boster began 2014 in a reliever's role before transitioning into the weekend rotation after King's injury. The righty made seven starts, picking up 30 K's in 43 innings pitched.
Elder impressed as a weekend starter during his rookie campaign in 2012 before Tommy John surgery forced him to sit out 2013. He made four starts last year in 15 appearances-carrying a 3.86 ERA-- and now back at full strength, will take the mound for the series finale.
SCOUTING THE RATTLERS
Florida A&M returns a talented core from its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Southern Division co-champion team a year ago. Preseason All-MEAC selections Marlon Gibbs and Ryan Kennedy will headline the A&M squad. Gibbs turned in a .335 average last season, complete with 66 hits, 21 RBI, 27 runs, and 13 stolen bases. Kennedy boasted a .303 average, with 40 RBI and 60 hits.
Head coach Jamey Shouppe is coming off 2014 MEAC Coach of the Year honors after the Rattlers collected 26 wins last spring, the most for the program since 2009.
A&M returns a veteran pitching staff, led by Chase Jarrell (5-2, 3.42 ERA, 47 K in 79 IP) and Kendal Weeks (3-1, 3.46 ERA, 17 K in 39 IP).
WAGGONER'S WORDS
Quotes by coach Jeff Waggoner
On the weekend
"We're excited to get things started, and definitely excited about facing a new opponent. We've been working very hard to get ready for this, and it's good to face some different competition in warm weather and put our hard work into action."
UP NEXT
Marshall will next visit Starkville, Miss., to face No. 22/25 Mississippi State and Alabama A&M beginning Friday, Feb. 20. The Herd's Friday night showdown with Mississippi State will be televised on the SEC Network.
