Friday, March 26
Riverside, Calif.
6 PM
California Baptist University
vs
Tarleton State
Photo by: Zac Zeman
BASE PREVIEW: Lancers Return Home for Second WAC Series in New Conference Member Tarleton State
3/23/2021 9:40:00 AM | Baseball
RIVERSIDE – Coming off an impressive showing at Cal last week, California Baptist University baseball will shift its focus back to the Western Athletic Conference and welcome Tarleton State for a four-game series at Totman Stadium Friday through Sunday.
The Lancers come into this week with an 11-6 record and winners of nine of their last 11. CBU defeated the Power 5, Pac-12 Conference Golden Bears of Berkeley in the series opener last Friday, 7-0. CBU was close to the series victory, but Cal pulled out a comeback 9-8 win on a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth on Sunday.
Tarleton State, an NCAA Division I and WAC newcomer, is off to an 8-13 start this season and 1-3 in league play. The Texans are in their first year of the transition to NCAA Division I after proving to be a strong competitor in Division II.
TSU has shown it can beat just about anybody. The Texans picked up a 5-4 road win over Dallas Baptist last Thursday and got a wild 16-13 victory over Sacramento State, one of the WAC's preseason picks to win the league, in their first conference series. Tarleton also pushed Power 5 opponent Texas A&M in an 8-7 extra-inning loss on the road.
WAC STANDINGS UPDATE
CBU comes into this week in first place in the WAC standings with an undefeated 4-0 conference record and 11-6 overall. The Lancers have played one less series than most of the league, with Sacramento State and NM State not far off at 7-1. Grand Canyon is one game behind those in fourth place at 6-2 in the WAC. Tarleton State comes into this week in seventh place at 1-3.
BURICA'S BRINGING IT
Chris Burica has solidified ace status for CBU this season, and his last outing was his best ever in a Lancer uniform. The junior left-handed pitcher threw the first complete-game shutout of CBU's NCAA Division I era in the 7-0 win over Cal on Friday. He allowed just eight hits, no walks and also struck out eight batters. It marked the fourth-straight start he has thrown at least through the seventh inning and lowered his season ERA to 2.57, his WHIP to 0.86 and his opposing batting average to .194.
It was not only the Lancers' first shutout in the D-I era (2019-present), but the first since May 9, 2017, when Andrew Bash shutout Concordia in a seven-inning game. It was also the second complete game in the D-I era and the first from a CBU pitcher since Burica last did it in a 10-3 home win over Pacific on March 9, 2019.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
After having their senior seasons cut short in 2020, John Glenn and Matt Amrhein returned for another run with the Lancers and are looking to set as much history as possible in the process.
Glenn ranks fifth in CBU history with 154 runs batted in, seven with 711 at-bats, eighth with 224 hits and ninth in total bases (341). He also ranks 11th in doubles (42) and 14th in home runs (24). In the NCAA era (2014-present), Glenn is the career leader in RBI and total bases; ranks second in hits, doubles, at-bats and games started (179) and games played (189); fourth in runs (115), fifth in home runs, eighth in stolen bases (14), ninth in batting average (.315) and 10th in walks (47).
Amrhein ranks fourth all-time among all CBU pitchers with 70 career appearances and sixth with eight saves. He is the Lancers' NCAA-era leader in appearances, ranks second in saves, seventh in wins (12), eighth in innings pitched (120.2), ninth in strikeouts (114) and ERA (3.28) and 11th in batting average against (.236).
SERIES INFORMATION
Opponent: Tarleton State
Dates/Times: Friday, March 26 (6 p.m.); Saturday, March 27 doubleheader (2 p.m.); Sunday, March 28 (11 a.m.)
Location: Riverside, Calif. (Totman Stadium)
Video: WAC Digital Network – Game 1 | Games 2-3 | Game 4
Live Stats: StatBroadcast – Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4
TEXANS AT A GLANCE
The offense has been Tarleton State's bright spot so far. The Texans come in hitting .264 and slugging .403 as a team. Pitching-wise, TSU has a 7.47 ERA as a staff and .309 opposing batting average. It has led to some high-scoring games, as it is giving up 8.4 runs a game on average and scoring six on offense. Tarleton's defense has been suspect at times, as well, with a .943 fielding percentage and 41 errors on the year. The Lancers may be able to run once they got on base this week, too. Tarleton State has given up 31 stolen bases on 42 attempts and is managing just 19 on 24 shots for itself.
TSU has spread the playing time around quite a bit, with just four players starting 15 games or more. Twelve Texans have played in more than 10 games and 14 making seven starts or more.
Tyler Fowler is the standout of all the regulars, with a team-high .301 batting average and 14 runs scored. He is the only player to have started and appeared in all 21 games. London Green has played and started 20 times and is hitting .251, with 12 runs, 10 RBI and has stolen a team-high seven bags. Colby Seltzer is top power threat, with a team-high five homers, .528 slugging percentage and 20 RBI. He is only batting .208, with 21 strikeouts in 53 at-bats so far, though. In just 14 games and 42 at-bats, Cody Vannoy is hitting .357 and slugging .571 with 10 RBI in 14 games and 12 starts.
Pitching-wise, Bryce Hackett and Alex Pinedo are the regular starting pitchers with five starts already. Six other Texans have made at least one start this year. Hackett has a 6.56 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, .274 opposing batting average over 23.1 innings. Pinedo has a 5.87 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and .311 BAA over 23 innings.
AJ Wood is the team's closer with all three saves on the year. He also has a 5.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 11 strikeouts in 6.2 innings and six appearances. Luke Baley and Zach Poe have both made a team-high nine appearances, all out of the bullpen. Baley has the best numbers of any pitcher who has gotten a long look on the mound, with a 3.72 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and .217 BAA in 19.1 innings. Poe has a 5.11 ERA and 1.70 WHIP so far.
The Lancers come into this week with an 11-6 record and winners of nine of their last 11. CBU defeated the Power 5, Pac-12 Conference Golden Bears of Berkeley in the series opener last Friday, 7-0. CBU was close to the series victory, but Cal pulled out a comeback 9-8 win on a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth on Sunday.
Tarleton State, an NCAA Division I and WAC newcomer, is off to an 8-13 start this season and 1-3 in league play. The Texans are in their first year of the transition to NCAA Division I after proving to be a strong competitor in Division II.
TSU has shown it can beat just about anybody. The Texans picked up a 5-4 road win over Dallas Baptist last Thursday and got a wild 16-13 victory over Sacramento State, one of the WAC's preseason picks to win the league, in their first conference series. Tarleton also pushed Power 5 opponent Texas A&M in an 8-7 extra-inning loss on the road.
WAC STANDINGS UPDATE
CBU comes into this week in first place in the WAC standings with an undefeated 4-0 conference record and 11-6 overall. The Lancers have played one less series than most of the league, with Sacramento State and NM State not far off at 7-1. Grand Canyon is one game behind those in fourth place at 6-2 in the WAC. Tarleton State comes into this week in seventh place at 1-3.
BURICA'S BRINGING IT
Chris Burica has solidified ace status for CBU this season, and his last outing was his best ever in a Lancer uniform. The junior left-handed pitcher threw the first complete-game shutout of CBU's NCAA Division I era in the 7-0 win over Cal on Friday. He allowed just eight hits, no walks and also struck out eight batters. It marked the fourth-straight start he has thrown at least through the seventh inning and lowered his season ERA to 2.57, his WHIP to 0.86 and his opposing batting average to .194.
It was not only the Lancers' first shutout in the D-I era (2019-present), but the first since May 9, 2017, when Andrew Bash shutout Concordia in a seven-inning game. It was also the second complete game in the D-I era and the first from a CBU pitcher since Burica last did it in a 10-3 home win over Pacific on March 9, 2019.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
After having their senior seasons cut short in 2020, John Glenn and Matt Amrhein returned for another run with the Lancers and are looking to set as much history as possible in the process.
Glenn ranks fifth in CBU history with 154 runs batted in, seven with 711 at-bats, eighth with 224 hits and ninth in total bases (341). He also ranks 11th in doubles (42) and 14th in home runs (24). In the NCAA era (2014-present), Glenn is the career leader in RBI and total bases; ranks second in hits, doubles, at-bats and games started (179) and games played (189); fourth in runs (115), fifth in home runs, eighth in stolen bases (14), ninth in batting average (.315) and 10th in walks (47).
Amrhein ranks fourth all-time among all CBU pitchers with 70 career appearances and sixth with eight saves. He is the Lancers' NCAA-era leader in appearances, ranks second in saves, seventh in wins (12), eighth in innings pitched (120.2), ninth in strikeouts (114) and ERA (3.28) and 11th in batting average against (.236).
SERIES INFORMATION
Opponent: Tarleton State
Dates/Times: Friday, March 26 (6 p.m.); Saturday, March 27 doubleheader (2 p.m.); Sunday, March 28 (11 a.m.)
Location: Riverside, Calif. (Totman Stadium)
Video: WAC Digital Network – Game 1 | Games 2-3 | Game 4
Live Stats: StatBroadcast – Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4
TEXANS AT A GLANCE
The offense has been Tarleton State's bright spot so far. The Texans come in hitting .264 and slugging .403 as a team. Pitching-wise, TSU has a 7.47 ERA as a staff and .309 opposing batting average. It has led to some high-scoring games, as it is giving up 8.4 runs a game on average and scoring six on offense. Tarleton's defense has been suspect at times, as well, with a .943 fielding percentage and 41 errors on the year. The Lancers may be able to run once they got on base this week, too. Tarleton State has given up 31 stolen bases on 42 attempts and is managing just 19 on 24 shots for itself.
TSU has spread the playing time around quite a bit, with just four players starting 15 games or more. Twelve Texans have played in more than 10 games and 14 making seven starts or more.
Tyler Fowler is the standout of all the regulars, with a team-high .301 batting average and 14 runs scored. He is the only player to have started and appeared in all 21 games. London Green has played and started 20 times and is hitting .251, with 12 runs, 10 RBI and has stolen a team-high seven bags. Colby Seltzer is top power threat, with a team-high five homers, .528 slugging percentage and 20 RBI. He is only batting .208, with 21 strikeouts in 53 at-bats so far, though. In just 14 games and 42 at-bats, Cody Vannoy is hitting .357 and slugging .571 with 10 RBI in 14 games and 12 starts.
Pitching-wise, Bryce Hackett and Alex Pinedo are the regular starting pitchers with five starts already. Six other Texans have made at least one start this year. Hackett has a 6.56 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, .274 opposing batting average over 23.1 innings. Pinedo has a 5.87 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and .311 BAA over 23 innings.
AJ Wood is the team's closer with all three saves on the year. He also has a 5.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 11 strikeouts in 6.2 innings and six appearances. Luke Baley and Zach Poe have both made a team-high nine appearances, all out of the bullpen. Baley has the best numbers of any pitcher who has gotten a long look on the mound, with a 3.72 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and .217 BAA in 19.1 innings. Poe has a 5.11 ERA and 1.70 WHIP so far.
Players Mentioned
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