Game Day: High Point of the Season

HIGH POINT PANTHERS @ MU

While some may have looked at this weekend series series against High Point as a "low point" in the schedule, the Panthers slugged their way to a 12-7 record in the opening weeks of the season,  That includes a 12-5 win over Charlotte.  The Panthers are averaging 5.6 runs per game,  and are sporting a .272 team batting average and 3.75 ERA.

High Point was picked to finish 8th (out of 11) in the Big South Baseball Preseason Poll

High Point is located in High Point, NC, near Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

♦ MUTigers.com Media Notes:

• Missouri is riding an 8-game winning streak, their longest since a 14-game streak in March of 2008
  
  
• Eric Anderson is expected to rested for 10-14 days and be ready to pitch again in time for the Texas A&M series
  
  
• Expected MU rotation this weekend:  Zastryzny, Holovach, Platts

Weekend Weather
Weather.com
FRI 81 / 20% rain
SAT 77 / PM 40% rain
SUN 78 / 10% rain

♦ Big South Announces Baseball Players of the Week (bigsouthsports.com, 3/12)

Coastal Carolina senior outfielder Daniel Bowman (Bridgewater, Va.) has been named the Big South Conference's Choice Hotels Baseball Player of the Week, while High Point junior Matt Armstead (Newport News, Va.) and Winthrop junior Eric Ruth (Hatfield, Pa.) have been named The Crons Brand Co-Pitchers of the Week for games played March 5-11, it was announced today by the League office. 

In his second career start for HPU, Armstead threw a complete game shutout against Manhattan, limiting the Jaspers to two infield singles while striking out a career-high eight batters. He walked two, both in the first inning, before settling in and the eight strikeouts doubled his previous best. Armstead gave up just two hits in the game, a bunt single down the third base line and a chopper just over his head. He also retired the final 10 batters of the game.

♦ Big South Announces Baseball Players of the Week (bigsouthsports.com, 2/27)

High Point junior Ryan Retz (Tucson, Ariz.) has been named the Big South Conference's Choice Hotels Baseball Player of the Week, while Coastal Carolina junior Ryan Connolly (Charleston, S.C.) has been named The Crons Brand Pitcher of the Week for games played Feb. 20-26, it was announced today by the League office.

Retz batted .500 (10-20) with three doubles, a home run and 10 RBI to lead the Panthers to a 4-1 week with wins over defending Atlantic 10 champion Charlotte, Wake Forest and Dayton. He also earned the win on the mound against the 49ers and added an RBI and run scored. Against Wake, Retz was 4-6 with six RBI, including a three-run homer that tied the game at 7-7. In the series against Dayton, he was 5-10 at the plate with two steals, a double and an RBI. Retz finished his week with an .800 slugging percentage and .565 on-base percentage.

♦ Big South Preview (CollegeBaseballToday.com)

The Panthers proved [in 2011] they could play with just about anyone when they put their minds to it, including handing Coastal a pair of losses (yep, not a misprint) to start their weekend series last year. Though there are only three field players returning, OF Sean Wilson (hit .517 at McHenry CC), INF Andrew Bartlett (.302 in 2010), RHP Zach Heile (2-2, 13apps) and RHP Jaime Schultz (2nd team All Big South, 2010) all return after missing 2011.
. . .
This was a streaky team, the Panthers tended to get into a rut at times. Last year’s 18-17 start was wiped out by a lackluster 6-15 finish, including a few pretty ugly double-digit losses in the month of May. Nearly every pitchers of note is gone from last year’s squad, so you never know how the newbies will react when they get under the spotlight.
. . .
HPU will play 17 of their first 18 games at Willard Stadium, but against pretty stout competition, including games with Charlotte, Mercer, Richmond and Manhattan. But in mid-March, the comforts of home will be put aside for a three-game trip to Missouri. That weekend should tell us a lot about where the Panthers are in their youth-to-maturation process. . .