WEEKEND PREVIEW
One game separates the second-place Wayne State baseball team (18-10, 10-6 GLIAC) from third-place Ohio Dominican (12-15, 9-7 GLIAC), as the two teams prepare to meet in a four-game series this weekend in Detroit.

The Warriors are looking to rebound from a pair of narrow losses Wednesday at Saginaw Valley State, while the Panthers are coming off a two-game sweep at Lake Erie.

Wayne State lost each of its prior three meetings with ODU, although the teams have not face each other since 2002. Ohio Dominican and Lake Erie are new teams to the GLIAC this season.


AT THE HELM
Ryan Kelley, the 2010 GLIAC Coach of the Year, is in his third season as the head coach of the WSU baseball program and has a career record of 75-56. Kelley guided the Warriors to 25 wins in 2009, the most by any first-year head coach in program history. Last season, Wayne State went 32-20 and won the GLIAC regular-season and tournament championships, advancing to the NCAA Regional for the third time since 2005.

Paul Page is in his 24th season at Ohio Dominican and has a career record of 876-416-6.


PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
In the 2011 GLIAC preseason coaches' poll, the Warriors were picked to finish second, while the Panthers were slotted seventh. Ohio Dominican finished the 2010 campaign with a 22-29 overall record in its final season at the NAIA level.


SCOUTING OHIO DOMINICAN
The Panthers, who have won three out of their last four, took sole possession of third place in the GLIAC with two victories against the Storm on Wednesday.

Senior outfielder Germaine McAlpine leads ODU in batting average (.349), hits (29), RBI (14) and runs scored (20). He is hitting .400 (15-45) over the last 13 games.

Sophomore Alex Borgan, who started Wednesday's opener at Lake Erie, is 2-3 with a staff-best 3.60 ERA and 30 strikeouts. Freshman Sean Blackburn has a 4-1 record with a 3.68 ERA.


WARRIOR NOTEBOOK
A historic moment occurred in the fifth inning of Wednesday's first game at Saginaw Valley State, as senior shortstop Caleb Dalman was hit by a pitch for the 31st time in his career, setting a new WSU record. The previous mark was held by Aaron Lawson (1998-2001).

Junior right-hander Billy Hurley, one of seven pitchers used by WSU in the second game at SVSU, worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings. Hurley has yet to surrender a run in 18.1 innings this season.

Junior second baseman Andrew Ciennik, who had a hit in each game against the Cardinals, has reached base in 11 straight games, the longest active streak on the team and second-longest this season. He is hitting .333 (12-36) with four walks, six RBI and four runs scored in that span.

WSU is 3-6 in one-run games in which the winning team scores three runs or less. Wednesday was WSU's fourth 3-2 loss in the last six days, and the second decided in 10 innings.

The Warriors scored a run in the top of the sixth and seventh innings to tie Wednesday's second game at 2-2. WSU has scored 33 percent of its runs in those two innings this season.


BASS WINS SECOND START
Former WSU right-hander and current San Diego Padres prospect Anthony Bass won his second start of the season Tuesday night for the San Antonio Missions, the Padres' Double-A affiliate in the Texas League. Bass went 5.2 innings and allowed just four hits with a walk, striking out seven in a 6-0 road win over the Tulsa Drillers.

Bass, who was the Opening Day starter April 7 against Northwest Arkansas, is 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA and eight strikeouts this season.


LOOKING AHEAD
The Warriors will wrap up their six-game homestand Wednesday against Hillsdale at 2:00. The team will host a WSU Police Department picnic. As part of the festivities, the Warriors will wear WSUPD caps and Chief Tony Holt will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.


SAVE THE DATES
The Wayne State baseball program has special alumni events scheduled next month and in September. Alumni are invited to come to the WSU athletic campus on Saturday, April 30, as the baseball team takes on Grand Valley State at 1:00 p.m. The alumni gathering is being held in conjunction with “W” Day, as Wayne State honors 36 years of women's athletics.

In addition, the annual Dugout Club Golf Outing and Alumni Game will take place Sept. 24-25. The golf outing will be held at Northville Hills on the morning of Sept. 24, with a gathering to follow in the evening at the Detroit Renaissance Marriott. The alumni baseball game is scheduled for Sept. 25 at the WSU baseball field.

More information will be announced at wsuathletics.com as it becomes finalized.