ETTRICK, VA  – Virginia State University will be back at Whaley Colbert field to face Mansfield in a four-game series in their fourth consecutive home stand this season. Last time out, the Trojans were held to just one run as they lost 1-6 the first game. The next two games the Senators of Davis & Elkins scored late runs to win both games 3-5. The last game of the series the Trojans came out hot scoring four runs in the first inning, which led them to an 8-5 victory.


Ricky Jones leads the team at the plate, as he was able to put a jolt into the baseball twice in game two of the CAU series. Jones leads the squad in home runs (2), Batting Average (.450), RBI (10) as well as hits (18) and at-bats (40). Jones has collected five multi-hit games in the season. The super freshman Tahruan Hammond is second on the team in batting average (.412) and hits (14) while leading the team in walks (13) and runs (14). Hammond also has a lively arm on the mound as the reliever has accounted for eight strikeouts while giving up just three hits. Chase Moore missed the season opening series but has since accrued seven hits in just 15 at-bats while driving in five runs. The Trojans currently have four players, who have at least 15 at-bats that maintain a batting average of .300 or better. The team hits .294 from the plate with an on-base percentage of .441. The pitching rotation is off to a strong start as they allow just 3.61 earned runs per contest and have allowed no team to score 10 runs or more. Nicholas Woolfolk and Grayson "Cole" Spain are proven to be a two-headed monster on the mound as Woolfolk leads the team with a 2-1 record while maintaining an impressive 2.88 ERA in 25 innings while Spain leads with 40 strikeouts which ranks him 2^nd in the country.  Against CAU, Woolfolk earned a career-high nine strikeouts as Spain earned a season-high 14 strikeouts against Davis & Elkins. Avante Banks proves leads the infield with 47 put outs so far this season while also maintaining a .276 batting average, which ranks him third on the team. Ricky Jones is also a vacuum in the outfield as well with 27 put outs on the season. Tahraun Hammond has assisted on the most outs this season with 18.  


Weekend Schedule
Saturday, March 5
Sunday, March 6
Manfield vs. Virginia State
Day One – 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. *Ettrick, VA *Whaley Colbert Field at VSU Ballpark
Day Two – 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.


About Mansfield
The Mansfield Mountaineers are 2-6 on the season after leaving the Frank Loria Invitational 1-4. MU struggles offensively but are liable to explode as they scored 19 runs in their most recent win against Salem. The Mountaineers have driven 45 runs home with five home runs while maintaining a .269 batting average. While the squad hits at a decent clip, they have struck out 61 times while only drawing 27 walks. Ben Osborne leads the team with a .387 batting average, 12 hits and ties for first in runs with six. Osborne has earned two or more hits in 5-of-8 games this season. While Samuel Freedman leads the team with two home runs, Marcus Nales leads with eight RBI. The MU pitching rotation gives away 9.71 earned runs per contest while giving up 75 runs in just eight games. Teams have a batting average of .358 against the rotation. DePrimo Hunter is the ace as he leads the team in innings pitched (11.1) and strikeouts (12).

 
Series History
The Trojans are 1-0 against the Mountaineers. The Trojans took the one and only matchup back in 2012, 5-4.
 
  
Next Five Matchups

• Mar. 5-6 vs. Mansfield
• Mar. 16 at Christendom
• Mar. 19-20 vs. Mid-Atlantic Christian
• Mar. 29 at Barton
• Apr. 1 at Newport News Apprentice School