The Terps (5-1) are traveling to Emerson, Georgia to avoid the snow this weekend and will “host” the Appalachian State Mountaineers for a three game set beginning at 12:45pm Friday afternoon. Maryland is coming off a 13-6 come-from-behind win against Arkansas last Sunday.

Scouting the Mountaineers

Appalachian State (3-3) is entering their first season in the Sun Belt Conference, one of the most respected mid major college baseball leagues in America. They went 12-14 in the Southern Conference last year, finishing 21-34 overall.

The program is under the direction of third-year head coach Billy Jones. In his long career, Jones has coached at some of the nation’s best programs – including Oregon State, Arizona State and NC State. His longest and most recent stop came in Stillwater, where he helped lead the Oklahoma State Cowboys to six Regional appearances in eight seasons.

App. State returns 22 of 35 letterwinners from last year’s team, including some important middle-of-the-order pieces.

They’ve begun the season 3-3, with their most impressive win coming on Wednesday against Wake Forest. The Terps and Mountaineers already have a common opponent in Canisius. The Terps knocked off the Golden Griffiths 8-4 on Opening Weekend, while Appalachian State dropped two of three to Canisius this past weekend.

Senior 2B Michael Pierson was the Mountaineer’s leading hitter (.343) last year and is off to a great start again in 2015, starting the season at .385 with a pair of home runs and a team-high six RBIs.

Junior infielder Dillon Dobson is also off to a great start. The North Carolina native is 9 for his first 24 (.375). He posted a .720 slugging percentage in conference play a year ago en route to a First Team All-Conference honor.

Jr. CF Jaylin Davis is the main speed threat for App. State, and is 5-for-5 on the base paths to begin the year. He batted .280 a year ago and is at .385 to start this season. He holds the school record for single-season triples (7) and has homered twice off White Sox first round pick Carlos Rodon.

Sr. Bradley Morton has two home runs through the team’s first six games, Fr. 1B Conner Leonard is a major recruit and Jr. Grayson Atwood is a transfer from powerhouse North Carolina.

  

Starting Pitching Matchups

 

FRIDAY AT 1 PM

So. RHP Mike Shawaryn (2-0, 2.08) vs. Sr. LHP Jeffrey Springs (0-0, 2.89)

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Shawaryn is coming off a dominant outing against South Alabama. The sophomore ace allowed just three hits and one walk over seven innings. The New Jersey native has won his first two starts of 2015 after breaking the school record with eleven last year.

Springs is a four-year letterwinner at Appalachian State and the leader of an unproven staff. He’s worked his way up the pecking order during his four years and is now at the top of the rotation as a senior. He led the team in strikeouts as the Sunday starter in 2014. He enters this weekend without a decision thus far. The North Carolina southpaw threw five shutout innings against Davidson on Opening Day but had a much tougher go against Canisius last weekend, giving up three runs through 4.1 IP.

 SATURDAY AT 4 PM

So. LHP Tayler Stiles (0-1, 5.00) vs. Fr. RHP Travis Holden (0-0, 0.00)

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Stiles has had one excellent start and one poor one. He allowed no earned runs in   innings against Old Dominion to help the Terps complete a perfect opening weekend in Myrtle Beach, but got knocked out early, giving up   runs against a ranked UCF team last weekend.

Holden has gotten off to a terrific start as a true freshman. The Georgia native will get his first college start in his home state. All told, Holden has allowed only two base runners in six innings of relief thus far (4 vs. Canisius, 2 vs. Villanova).

SUNDAY AT 11 AM

Fr. RHP Brian Shaffer (0-0, 9.00) vs. TBD

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Shaffer had a perfect fist inning against a heavy hitting Arkansas team last Sunday but fell victim to the long ball after that, giving up two dingers, six runs and eight hits after that. The freshman righty looks to bounce back against the Mountaineers after a tough first college start.