Game Day: MU vs. Charlotte 49ers

MU @ Charlotte 49ers (4-game series)

• Friday, 2/25, 3:00 PM CT
• Saturday, 2/26, Double-header 11:00 AM / 2:30 PM CT
• Sunday, 2/27, 11:00 AM CT

■ Weekend mound excellence(collegebaseballtoday.com)

The 49ers end their weekend with an 11-0 win over Coppin State. For the four-game series, Cornbread Maxwell U. outscored the Eagles 61-1. They held CSU to a .132 team average along the way. Yaye!

Trrip Note: According to Boyd's World, in 2010 Coppin State's final RPI was ranked 294th out of 300 D-1 baseball schools.

■ Get the daily scoop on 49ers baseball from Associate Head Coach Brandon Hall on Twitter: @49erHall

■ Niner Baseball 2011 (ninerpride.net)

We should have a sick, and I mean SICK pitching staff. All 3 starters are back Rothlin, Pilkinton, and Roberts + you ad Yermal back and Barnette!!! I spoke with both Hibbs and Hall in Oct and I watched a practice, and the pitching looks legit barring injuries or suprises (see basketball haha). Yermal (SR- who is legit when healthy), Barnette (highest MLB pick ever at Char), Roberts (stud rookie last yr), and Bryan Hamilton is a fine relief guy. And Wes Hatley put up some solid relief stats last yr for a frosh.

Click the link to read more -- A good [albeit biased] assessment of the 2011 Charlotte 49ers

■ Highlight video from Charlotte's series against Coppin State:

■ Charlotte 49ers: Nickname (Wikipedia)

The nickname "49ers" derives from the fact that the university's predecessor—Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina (CCUNC - established in 1946) was saved from being shut down by the state in 1949 by Bonnie Cone, when the Charlotte Center became Charlotte College. Due to this "49er spirit" that Cone felt embodied the University, referring to the settlers that endured much hardships in traveling across the United States to seek fortune in the California Gold Rush, students of the fledgling UNC Charlotte chose "49ers" as the school's mascot. The fact that the site of the U.S.'s first major gold discovery, Reids Gold Mine, is located nearby may also be a contributing factor to the nickname. The fact that the University's Main Campus front entrance is located on North Carolina Highway 49 is pure coincidence.

Prior to the "49ers" moniker, the athletic teams were known as the "Owls" due to CCUNC's beginnings as a night school.

■ Charlotte picked to repeat as Atlantic 10 conference champion (charlotte49ers.com)

Charlotte looks to repeat as Atlantic 10 regular season champions for the second time since joining the league during the 2006 campaign. The 49ers last took back-to-back league titles in 2007 and 2008. Charlotte has won three titles in the last five seasons as a member of the league, capturing 96 conference victories -- 10 more than the next highest team total during that span. Veteran head coach Loren Hibbs returns 21 letterwinners, including six position starters and 11 pitchers, from a team that went 39-17 overall last season. On the mound, Charlotte also returns all three weekend starters from a year ago, with a combined 16-8 season record, along with redshirt senior relief pitcher Bryan Hamilton, who recently garnered Preseason All-America status.

■ Niners set to defend A-10 (ninersonline.com)

The Niners enter this season without their top two power hitters from last year. With the three starting pitchers returning for 2011, the Niners will be more pitching and defensive-oriented this year, which will favor the Niners as the National Collegiate Athletic Association modified the rules on bat composition this year. The new bats will suppress power-hitting offenses. Yet, it serves as an advantage to the Niners and their playing style.