University of Richmond Athletics
Baseball Opens Season At Jacksonville Invitational This Weekend
02/21/2008 | Baseball
Feb. 21, 2008
Richmond at JU Invitational
Friday, Feb. 22 vs. UNC-Wilmington (12 p.m. ET)
Saturday, Feb. 23 vs. Jacksonville (4 p.m. ET)
Sunday, Feb, 24 vs. UW-Milwaukee (11 a.m. ET)
Weekend Game Notes:
• Under first-year head coach Mark McQueen, the 93rd season of Richmond baseball begins this weekend at the JU Invitational. The Spiders battle former CAA-foe UNC-Wilmington on Friday (Noon), the host Dolphins on Saturday (4 p.m.) and UW-Milwaukee Sunday (11 a.m.). Gametracker for all three tilts is available at RichmondSpiders.com.
• Richmond, a preseason No. 2 selection in the Atlantic 10, finished third in the conference last season with a 32-28 record overall (12-9 in A-10 play). Charlotte, which won both the regular-season and toutnament titles last year, was picked to repeat in 2008.
• McQueen, the 2003 Collegiate Baseball National Pitching Coach of the Year, takes the Spiders' helm after 13 years with the program as an assistant coach. He started at UR in 1989, moved to VCU as an assistnt from 2001-06 and returned to the Spiders before last season. In all, 24 pitchers coached by McQueen have been drafted, including 16 from Richmond. McQueen is a 1984 graduate of Sam Houston State and began is coaching career at Iowa State in 1987.
• The Spiders return three of the top pitchers in the A-10 in Second Team All-Conference starter senior Alex Hale, Second Team All-Conference closer senior Brian Alas and defending A-10 Rookie of the Year lefty Matt Zielinski (pictured). Those three, along with the addition of North Carolina transfers Jared Bard and Brian Farrell, and the return of Rob Berzinskas from injury, should give Richmond one of the deepest staffs in the A-10.
• Due to either graduation or the draft, Richmond lost five of its top six offensive threats from 2007. A junior last season, 1B Joe Mahoney was among the league leaders in RBIs and homers and was the highest drafted A-10 player He was taken in the sixth round by the Orioles and currently plays with the "A" Aberdeen IronBirds.
• The Spiders are expected to start sophomore LHP Matt Zielinski in their opener Friday versus the Seahawks, with University of North Carolina transfer Jared Bard in line for Saturday's match-up with the Dolphins. Redshirt senior Rob Berzinskas should start Sunday versus the Panthers.
• Following this weekend, the Spiders are home for 10 of their next 11 games, beginning with another former CAA-rival William & Mary, Tuesday at Pitt Field. First pitch is slated for 2:30 p.m. ET and live video streaming, along with Gametracker will be available at RichmondSpiders.com.
