Elon clinched the No. 1 seed in the Southern Conference with two weeks remaining in the season, so the Eagles (38-15) needed to finish strong.
They did.
Sweeping Samford and Wofford in the regular season’s final two weeks earned GSU the No. 2 seed and a matchup with Davidson in the first round of the SoCon Tournament this morning at 9 a.m.
“Obviously it was important to play well and have some momentum coming in here which we did,” said Georgia Southern coach Rodney Hennon. “We took care of what we needed to do to get the highest possible seed after Elon had clinched the regular season. It should help us out and give us some confidence come 9 a.m.”
Playing the first game of the tournament early in the morning shouldn’t phase the Eagles. Final exams have been over and done with for two weeks, and the Eagles got in a practice early Tuesday morning in preparation of the tournament.
Hennon feels like they’d be ready no matter what time first pitch is scheduled.
“Regardless of when you play,” said the GSU coach, “if you can’t get excited about going out and competing in a tournament game, you’ve got problems. You just go out and get ready and go.”
Georgia Southern will pitch its ace against Davidson, who it swept in a home three-game series earlier in the year. Chris Mederos will get the start. Finishing the season 10-1 with an ERA of 4.00, Mederos led the league in strikeouts with 94. He walked just 26.
The junior Gordon College transfer has been setting the tone all year throughout his first season at GSU, and setting the tone early in the SoCon Tournament is just what the Eagles need.
“It’s very important and obviously you want to be in that winner’s bracket,” Hennon said. “You run the guy who you feel like can set the tone for you. He’s been in that role all year long throwing that first game on Friday nights and (this morning’s) no different.”
The Eagles have won many different ways this season, but lately, it’s been all about the offense. Coming in at 9.6 runs per game, which is good for fifth in the nation, GSU has been producing plenty of offense.
Unfortunately, Elon (10.7 runs per game) and College of Charleston (9.9), who join the Eagles in the nation’s Top 5, help show that everyone in the SoCon can score.
“I say it every year,” said Hennon about what it takes to be successful in the conference tournament, “you’ve got to pitch and you’ve got to play defense.”
If GSU wins Game 1 against Davidson, it will take on the winner of Game 2’s matchup between Appalachian State (32-19) and The Citadel (34-20) at 5 p.m. Thursday. If Davidson gets the win, the Eagles will play the loser of Game 2 at 9 a.m. Thursday morning.
All games will be broadcast on 102.9 FM.
Clear-cut favorites
The Elon Phoenix (37-14) lost just four SoCon games this year and enter the 2009 tournament with the No. 1 seed.
They have only lost one three-game SoCon series, and haven’t lost a conference game since Georgia Southern’s 7-6 win back on March 27.
They are the defending SoCon Tournament Champions from 2008 and won the 2009 regular-season crown.
Still, the SoCon has not seen back-to-back champions since The Citadel accomplished the feat back in 1998-1999. Since then, seven different teams have claimed the title.
“I just think the depth of this league makes you nervous,” said Elon coach Mike Kennedy. “What we did (this season) — I told our guys it was pretty special. Our league is very, very good. I think (as a conference) we don’t get the credit we deserve and I think coming in there’s six or seven teams that can win this thing. Legitimately anyone can win it and no one would question why it happened.”
SoCon honors
The Southern Conference Sports Media Association announced its all-conference baseball teams and individual awards on Tuesday. College of Charleston’s Joey Bergman was tabbed Player of the Year while The Citadel’s Wes Wrenn was named Pitcher of the Year. Western Carolina infielder Ross Heffley was chosen as the Freshman of the Year while Elon’s Mike Kennedy was voted as the Coach of the Year.
Bergman entered the week as the nation’s top hitter, boasting a .465 batting average to go along with a SoCon-record 86 runs scored. The junior third baseman is one hit away from 100 for the season, and in SoCon games, Bergman batted a blistering .504 with a .607 on-base percentage.
The dependable Wrenn was stellar on the mound this season for the Bulldogs, logging a league-high 93.2 innings and three complete games while compiling a 9-2 record and a 3.84 ERA. The senior right-hander has allowed two or fewer earned runs in six of his last nine starts, and he has gone the distance in each of his past two outings.
Heffley led all freshmen with a .392 batting average while starting in 53 of 54 Catamounts’ games during his rookie season. The infielder had 18 doubles, 48 RBIs and 47 runs scored.
Kennedy was named Coach of the Year after guiding Elon to its second consecutive regular season championship and number one seed in the upcoming SoCon Tournament. The Phoenix closed its league schedule by winning 17 straight against SoCon opponents. Elon is ranked 22nd in the latest Baseball America rankings and carries a 17-game win streak against unranked opponents.
College of Charleston led all schools with seven honorees, including four on the first team. Appalachian State, The Citadel and Elon each had four players named to the all-conference squad while eight SoCon teams had at least one player represented.
The SoCon First Team includes: Pitcher Wes Wrenn, The Citadel; Pitcher Chris Mederos, Georgia Southern; Relief pitcher Zach Quate, Appalachian State; Catcher Griffin Benedict, Georgia Southern; First baseman Chris McGuiness, The Citadel; Second baseman Brandon Sizemore, College of Charleston; Shortstop Brent Greer, Western Carolina; Third baseman Joey Bergman, College of Charleston; Outfielder Pat Irvine, Elon; Outfielder Sonny Meade, The Citadel; Outfielder Matt Mansilla, College of Charleston; Designated Hitter Ryan Daniels, College of Charleston.
The SoCon Second Team includes: Pitcher Jesse Simpson College of Charleston; Picther Jimmy Reyes, Elon; Relief Pitcher Thomas Girdwood, Elon; Cather Richard Jones, The Citadel; First Baseman Joash Brodin, College of Charleston; Second Baseman Wes Hobson, Appalachian State; Shortstop Michael Gilmartin, Wofford; Third baseman Isaac Harrow, Appalachian State; Outfielder Cory Harrilchak, Elon; Outfielder Clay McCord, College of Charleston; Outfielder Rand Smith, Appalachian State; Designated Hitter Danny Weiss, Davidson.
Notes: After 19-straight years in Charleston, the Southern Conference tournament will be hosted at Greenville’s Fluor Field. The park, which was named the 2006 Ballpark of the Year by ballparks.com, is home to the Class A Greenville Drive. It is modeled after Boston’s Fenway Park and includes its own version of the “Green Monster” in left field. … In previous tournaments, each side of the bracket played in a double-elimination format until one team from each remained to play for the championship. This year for the first time, the bracket will flip in the semifinals matching teams from opposite brackets.
Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9404.
Post a Comment
