CARY, N.C. - The Mike Victory-era at Brevard College is set to begin this weekend as the first-year head coach leads the 2020 Brevard College baseball team into its first series of the new season. The Tornados will face off against William Peace University for a three-game series at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
Both games of the opening doubleheader, slated for Saturday at 2 and 5 p.m., will be played in seven-inning format, while the 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday will be a nine-inning contest.
Live video and statistics of this weekend's action are available by clicking here, courtesy of William Peace University.
The Tornados enter 2020 with fresh faces patrolling the dugout, as Coach Victory is joined by first-year Assistant Coach Rob Julian and Volunteer Assistant Coach Steve Hucke. The new staff will look to improve on what was a 10-win campaign for the Tornados a season ago.
Brevard returns a majority of its key contributors from a season ago while adding a grand total of 12 newcomers.
Brevard's starting pitching will be led by a veteran duo of right-handed pitchers in senior Kross Robinson and junior Ben Melton. Robinson, who was a USA South All-Conference Third Team selection in 2019 before signing to pitch in the Coastal Plains League for the Edenton Steamers this summer, led BC a season ago with 60 strikeouts. Melton led Tornado starting pitchers a season ago with a 4.39 ERA in a team-high 55.1 innings pitched.
Brevard returns numerous contributors to its offense as well. Senior infielder Ryan Roon led all Tornados with 47 hits and a .333 batting average, while junior infielder JJ Wilkes drove in a team-high 24 RBI's and had the most extra-base hits out of BC's returning offense.
The Tornados claimed a season-opening four-game split last season, as BC opened its 2019 campaign at the USA Baseball National Training Complex as well. Brevard opened the season with a dominant 12-5 decision in the first game of the series behind a five-inning outing from Bryce Foster and 12 runs, which would tie the highest single-game run total for the BC offense all season. Roon led the Tornado offense with three hits in the contest, while he and Donny Carsillo each drove in three RBI's.
The Tornados clinched a 5-0 victory in game two of last season's Saturday afternoon doubleheader thanks to a dominant outing from returning sophomore Matthew Scavotto. The left-handed hurler from Charlotte, North Carolina pitched five innings of two-hit, shutout ball to earn his first collegiate victory.
William Peace is coming off a 9-26 campaign in 2019 and welcomes a plethora of newcomers into the Pacer baseball program. Returning offensive threats Nathan Holt and Alec Seaton will look to duplicate their success from a season ago at the plate. Holt, a senior outfielder from Sanford, North Carolina, scored a team-best 27 runs and notched a team-high 37 hits while posting a .289 batting average. Alec Seaton, a junior middle infielder from Wendell, North Carolina, maintained a team-best .294 batting average and drove in 15 runs total.
The Tornados currently hold a 4-5 all-time record against William Peace since the two sides first met back in the 2017 season.
Following this weekend's season-opening series, the Tornados will turn their attention to another non-conference weekend series in Greensboro, North Carolina against Guilford College. A Saturday, February 15 doubleheader is scheduled for 12 and 2:30 p.m. before a 1 p.m. first-pitch time on Sunday, February 16 at the Edgar H. McBane Field.
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like 'Brevard College Athletics' on Facebook. In addition, follow "brevardcollege" on Flickr for the latest photos from all Brevard College events.
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