Davidson College Athletics
St. Bonaventure
Davidson Opens A-10 Tourney Against St. Bonaventure Wednesday
5/23/2017 6:30:00 PM | Baseball
Live Stats | Video | Game Notes
Championship Central
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Davidson baseball will begin its fourth consecutive postseason Wednesday, taking on third-seeded St. Bonaventure in the opening game of the 2017 Atlantic 10 Championship. The sixth-seeded Wildcats will play at 11:00 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. CT at the Billiken Sports Complex on the campus of Saint Louis University.
The 'Cats enter the tournament with a 27-23 ledger, going 13-11 in the league. The Bonnies come in at 26-20, 15-8. Davidson took its fifth series of the year this past weekend, taking the final two games at UMass. The squad clinched the sixth seed for the Atlantic 10 Tournament thanks to a better conference record versus common opponents over George Mason, and will be playing in their fourth straight tournament, third straight since joining the league.
Fans can view the game live via the streaming links provided, and may also follow the live stat links and the @dcbaseball_ Twitter account for in-game updates.
THE SERIES
The 'Cats took two-of-three from the Bonnies to begin A-10 action back in early March, winning both the first and second games by scores of 9-2, before suffering a 17-4 loss in the finale. Junior Cam Johnson led the squad that weekend, posting a .500 clip as he homered and scored four times. Sophomore Eric Jones and senior Will Robertson each turned in four hits across the three games.
THE WILDCAT RUNDOWN
In their last four postseasons, the 'Cats have entered tournaments as the second, fourth, and sixth seeds, respectively. Davidson made history in 2016, becoming the first ever No. 6 seed to ever play in the A-10 Championship game. It was also the first championship game in program history.
Veteran ace Durin O'Linger has delivered in dynamic fashion during the months of April and May. The right-hander has compiled a 1.33 ERA across seven starts, tossing two complete games and posting a 5-1 ledger. O'Linger struck out 36, and from 4/14-5/10, he gave up just two walks across 35 innings. He is likely to get the nod in the 'Cats opening round game Wednesday.
The Wildcats finish the regular season with 63 home runs, a statistic that not only puts them atop the league, but also ranks them 30th nationally. They rank 20th in the NCAA in home runs per game (1.26), and are led by the veteran duo of Will Robertson and Brian Fortier, who rank 19th and 30th nationally with 16 and 15 long balls, respectively. The squad also leads the league with a .439 slugging percentage, 52nd-best in the NCAA.
Another hurler with impressive numbers down the stretch was freshman ZJ Zabinski, who ranks in the top five in the league both in fewest hits allowed (12) and fewest runs allowed (5). The rookie southpaw has allowed a run in just three of his 20 appearances, and did not allow a run for seven straight (4/2-5/2). Last weekend, he picked up his first collegiate win, taking back-to-back victories on the road at UMass. Zabinski boasts an ERA of 2.60 and has limited opponents to just a .194 clip.
SCOUTING THE BONNIES
St. Bonaventure is led by a duo of above .300 hitters in shortstop Cole Peterson and fellow infielder Jared Baldinelli, while junior David Hollins tops the team with eight home runs. Hollins went a perfect 8-for-8 against the 'Cats earlier this year. On the mound, workhorse ace Aaron Phillips leads the way, logging over 94 innings with a 9-1 record and 81 Ks.
TOURNAMENT INFO
There will be four games on Wednesday and Thursday, including at least one consolation bracket elimination game each day. Friday's semifinal day has three games, two of which are elimination games. The championship final will be played Saturday at noon on ASN. The if necessary game will take place immediately after the first final, if needed.
Tickets to the championship are $8.00 for adults, $4.00 for students, seniors and youth. An All-Session ticket book is available for $25.00 for adults and $12.00 for students, seniors and youth. Tickets may be purchased at the gate, or pre-purchased online via the link provided.
