Game Notes | SoCon Digital Network 

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel baseball team opens the 2016 season on Friday with a three-game homestand against Virginia Tech at Joe Riley Park.
 
Live stats will be available at CitadelSports.com for all three games. Friday's 5 p.m. game will be streamed live on the SoCon Digital Network and Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game will be picked up in progress following the completion of The Citadel basketball game. Sunday's 1 p.m. game will not be streamed due to wrestling senior day taking place at the same time. For tickets, call 843-953-DOGS (3647) or visit CitadelSports.com/tickets.
 
• This will be 15th meeting between The Citadel and Virginia Tech with the last matchup coming in 2014 when the Bulldogs defeated the Hokies 6-2.
• This will be the second time the Bulldogs and Hokies have squared off in the first game of the season. The Bulldogs took the 2014 season opener for both teams 6-2.
• The Citadel is 11-13 in season openers and has won its last three.
• Coach Fred Jordan is two victories shy of his 800th career win.
• The Bulldogs are 10-7 in home openers under Coach Jordan.
• The Citadel plays 11 of its first 13 games at Riley Park with the only two away games coming against in-state foes Winthrop and College of Charleston. The Bulldogs have six home games in February and 11 in March.
• Beginning in 2007, The Citadel has opened the past nine seasons in Joe Riley Park.
• Austin Mapes and JP Sears were voted to the preseason all-conference second-team on Feb. 11th.
• Mapes held the fourth-best batting average on the team in 2015 at .308 and was second on the team with 45 runs scored. The junior tallied 65 hits and ended the 2015 season with a .460 slugging percentage. Mapes also swiped 10 bases.
• Sears made 17 appearances with 13 starts last season and was second on the team with 75.2 innings pitched. The sophomore recorded 82 strikeouts last year and led the Bulldogs in runners picked off with six. Sears held opponents he faced to a .276 batting average and finished the season with a 4.28 earned-run average.
• The Bulldogs return 17 lettermen from last year's 28-30 squad.
• 18 position players and 13 pitchers return from last year's team for the 2016 season.
• This year's squad consists of eight seniors: INF Bret Hines, C Stephen Windham, OF Steven Hansen, OF Jason Smith, OF Mike Deese, RHP Zach Lavery and LHP Nate Brecklin.
• Of the starters returning, Steven Windham recorded the highest batting average at .305 in 2015. The senior tallied a .416 slugging percentage and a .398 on-base percentage.
• Jason Smith was a perfect 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts last year. Junior Austin Mapes was the next best on the team, swiping 10 bases on 13 attempts.
• Smith also held the longest reached base streak last season at 25 games.
• The Bulldogs pitching staff led the SoCon with 509 batters struck out and were second in the conference with 155 batters struck out looking. The 'Dogs also took top honors in runners picked off with 20 and allowed the fewest home runs (29) in the conference.
• The Citadel finished third in the SoCon in saves last season due in large part to Skylar Hunter who recorded all 13.
• Senior Zach Lavery recorded a team-best 2.65 ERA last year in 37.1 innings of relief. Lavery allowed 11 earned runs and retired 26 batters.
• The Citadel had three players selected in the MLB draft last June (LHP James Reeves, RHP Skylar Hunter, RHP Austin Mason), the most players drafted from one team since the 2009 squad when four Bulldogs were selected.
 
For more information on The Citadel baseball, follow @CitadelBaseball or visit CitadelSports.com.