NAIA

TU Begins Season with #22 Middle Georgia State

THOMASVILLE, Ga. – After ten and a half months of no competition, the Thomas University baseball team is set to start its 2021 campaign, hosting #22 Middle Georgia State in a three-game non-conference series, beginning with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
 
The Night Hawks return its top two hitters from last season in Redshirt Senior Infielder Jake Bryan and Redshirt Junior Shortstop Brad Toxen.  Bryan finished 2020 with a .323 batting average, including 25 runs batted in and seven home runs in 24 contests.  Toxen's batting average was .318 and included 21 RBIs and three home runs.
 
Most of Thomas' pitching staff returns in 2021 looking to finish what the team started.  Redshirt Senior Pitcher Patrick Haley finished in the Top 10 in The Sun Conference in Strikeouts per Game (8.41).  The West Palm Beach, Fla. native finished last season with an Earned Run Average of 4.38.  The Night Hawks will also look forward to having Redshirt Junior Pitchers Thomas Sorrentino (LHP) and Caleb Rogers (RHP) in the rotation during the 2021 season, but opposing batters will not look forward to facing these pitchers; hitters' batting average against Sorrentino is .270 and against the right-handed Rogers, that average drops to .221.
 
#22 MGA finished 2020 with a 17-8 overall record, going 5-1 in the Southern States Athletic Conference, Under the assumption the Knights' Seniors from last season ended up redshirting, Michael Gardner will be a player to watch, as the Los Angeles, Ca. native finished 2020 with a .410 batting average.  Kal Dempsey is another batter for the Purple, Black & White that has made an impact, tallying 25 RBIs last season.  Since Middle Georgia lost lead pitcher Logan Carter in the offseason, the team will look to Right-Handed Pitcher Camden Bailey to play a bigger role in the pitching game.  Bailey finished last season with a 4-2 record, recording a 2.11 ERA and allowing 12 runs, 33 hits, and 35 strikeouts in just over 37 innings pitched.
 
The Hunter Green & White will be searching for its first win against the Knights since January 28, 2017.
 
First pitch at Varnedoe Stadium is set for 1 p.m.  Fans unable to attend the game can follow the live action by accessing the links below:
 
                                             Live Video
 
For up-to-date information on this games and other TU Athletics, visit www.TUNightHawks.com.  Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, and feature stories of your TU baseball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawkBaseba.