Temple University Athletics
Friday, February 18
Durham, N.C.
3:00 p.m.
Temple University
at
North Carolina Central
Photo by: Mitchell Leff
Baseball Opens Season Friday At North Carolina Central
2.17.11 | Baseball
First pitch set for 3:00 p.m. on Friday in Durham
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DURHAM, N.C. - The Temple baseball team is set to open its 84th season of varsity competition as the Owls square off with North Carolina Central on Friday at 3:00 p.m. Temple is making the first of three trips to North Carolina to start the 2011 season, as the Owls follow this journey with series at High Point and Elon.
Senior Ben White has earned the honor of taking the hill for the Owls on opening day. White, a 2010 Philadelphia Big 5 All-Star and All-Academic selection, emerged as Temple's ace last season and amassed 94 strikeouts on the year. The Parkesburg, Pa., native will try to give TU its first opening day win since beating Detroit Mercy, 9-8, on March 4, 2004.
Junior Brant Norlander gets the nod on Saturday. Norlander, a junior transfer from Cañada College, went 10-1 last season with 73 strikeouts. On Sunday, freshman Matt Hockenberry takes the hill for the Owls. A 6'3" righty, Hockenberry was a three-year varsity starter at South Western High.
Temple returns its top three hitters from a year ago in redshirt-junior Steve Nikorak and Philadelphia All-Big 5 picks seniors Ryan Ferguson (.328, 62-189) and Adrian Perez (.326, 61-187). Ferguson and Perez slugged it out for the team lead in batting average and hits, while Nikorak smashed a team-best 16 doubles.
Scouting North Carolina Central
The Eagles welcome 10 newcomers, eight of whom are freshman, to the 2011 roster. North Carolina Central returns two of its top three hitters from a year ago in juniors Etienne Farquharson and sophomore Nate Smith. The Eagles also return seven pitchers from last season, including three - Drew Robinson, Glenn Frye and Brandon Oatis - who logged over 30 innings of work.
Series History
This will be the first meeting between the two teams. The Owls, who traveled to Durham, N.C. last season to play Duke in the current home of the Durham Bulls, will be competing this weekend in the former home of the Minor League team (Durham Athletic Park) and set of the baseball classic, Bull Durham.
DURHAM, N.C. - The Temple baseball team is set to open its 84th season of varsity competition as the Owls square off with North Carolina Central on Friday at 3:00 p.m. Temple is making the first of three trips to North Carolina to start the 2011 season, as the Owls follow this journey with series at High Point and Elon.
Senior Ben White has earned the honor of taking the hill for the Owls on opening day. White, a 2010 Philadelphia Big 5 All-Star and All-Academic selection, emerged as Temple's ace last season and amassed 94 strikeouts on the year. The Parkesburg, Pa., native will try to give TU its first opening day win since beating Detroit Mercy, 9-8, on March 4, 2004.
Junior Brant Norlander gets the nod on Saturday. Norlander, a junior transfer from Cañada College, went 10-1 last season with 73 strikeouts. On Sunday, freshman Matt Hockenberry takes the hill for the Owls. A 6'3" righty, Hockenberry was a three-year varsity starter at South Western High.
Temple returns its top three hitters from a year ago in redshirt-junior Steve Nikorak and Philadelphia All-Big 5 picks seniors Ryan Ferguson (.328, 62-189) and Adrian Perez (.326, 61-187). Ferguson and Perez slugged it out for the team lead in batting average and hits, while Nikorak smashed a team-best 16 doubles.
Scouting North Carolina Central
The Eagles welcome 10 newcomers, eight of whom are freshman, to the 2011 roster. North Carolina Central returns two of its top three hitters from a year ago in juniors Etienne Farquharson and sophomore Nate Smith. The Eagles also return seven pitchers from last season, including three - Drew Robinson, Glenn Frye and Brandon Oatis - who logged over 30 innings of work.
Series History
This will be the first meeting between the two teams. The Owls, who traveled to Durham, N.C. last season to play Duke in the current home of the Durham Bulls, will be competing this weekend in the former home of the Minor League team (Durham Athletic Park) and set of the baseball classic, Bull Durham.
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