NAIA

Weekend at RV Warner: TU Resumes The Sun Conference Play

THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University baseball team is set to rebound this weekend with a road trip to Lake Wales, Fla. to face RV Warner University in a crucial TSC series showdown.
 
The Night Hawks (17-22, 6-9 TSC) currently hold the sixth spot in The Sun Conference standings with nine more game remaining in the 2021 regular season.  Thomas is one and a half games behind its weekend opponent in the Royals (24-18, 8-10 TSC) and is very much alive to potentially win the series over Warner.
 
While the Hunter Green & White suffered unexpected defeats against Brewton-Parker College Tuesday night, Thomas has a few different players to rely on heading into the weekend.  Thomas boasts seven players with .300 batting averages or better, the fifth-most in The Sun Conference at that mark.
 
Redshirt Junior Brad Toxen (.310) rides an eight-game hitting streak, while Freshman Andy Valdes (.327) has hits in five of the last six games.  Of those five contests, Valdes has recorded multiple hits in four of them. 
 
Warner is also fighting to climb higher in the conference standings, remaining three games behind #10 Keiser.  The Royals come off a series win over Florida Memorial in Miami Gardens, as WU will look to avenge a 2019 season that saw Thomas win the season series three games to one, including a win the latest TSC Championship tournament.
 
On the hitting side, the Royals are led by First Baseman John Pichman (.400) with 49 RBIs, an .800 Slugging Percentage, and 14 Home Runs (11th most in NAIA).  In his latest appearance at the plate, the Redshirt Senior went 4-for-6, hitting two, two-run homers in an 11-5 Game Three win against the Lions.
 
On the mound, John Bean (6-2) has seen the most time on the diamond out of all the pitching staff.  In 65 and two-thirds innings (eighth-most in NAIA), Bean holds a .225 opponent batting average and a 3.97 ERA, allowing 29 earned runs in 57 hits and 72 strikeouts.  Andy Yarborough (2-0) has seen 44 innings on the mound, leading the staff in ERA (3.27) with 16 earned runs in 48 hits with 33 strikeouts.
 
First pitch at Royals Baseball Field is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m.  Fans can access the series throughout the weekend by following the links below:
 
Live Stats                                                          Live Video
 
For up-to-date information on this game 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 @NightHawksBaseba.