DETROIT -- Fresh off a 3-1 start to the 2024 campaign, the Wayne State University baseball team will travel to VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio to face Tiffin for a four-game series. The Warriors and Dragons will play one game Friday (3 p.m.) before a Saturday doubleheader (12 and 3 p.m.) and series finale on Sunday (12 p.m.).
OPENING WEEKEND
As mentioned above, Wayne State won three of its first four games in a regional series against Hillsdale last week. The Warriors and Chargers played those games at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs, N.C., home of the Holly Springs Salamanders. WSU needed 12 innings to win game one, 6-5, before cruising to a pair of victories on Saturday, 7-3 and 10-2. Wayne State was ahead 5-0 midway through the third frame of game four on Sunday, but Hillsdale clawed all the way back before walking it off in the bottom of the ninth, 8-6.
LEADING THE WAY
At the plate, Wayne State was paced by a quartet of batters including
Tony Hatzigeorgiou (.500, 8-for-16),
Bennett Hitzelberger (.471, 8-for-17),
Logan Tobel (.429 (6-for-14) and
Mason McGuire (.375, 6-for-16). Starting rotation wise,
Karter Fitzpatrick was brilliant on opening day (7.1 IP, 10 SO, 1 ER) and
Seth Marano nearly matched that effort on Saturday (8.0 IP, 3 SO, 1 ER). Out of the bullpen,
Evan Langlois picked up the victory on Friday in his first career appearance thanks to three and two-thirds innings of shutout baseball.
GLIAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hitzelberger posted a strong opening weekend against Hillsdale. The first baseman hit .471 across the four-game stretch (8-for-17), along with seven runs batted in, three runs scored, and a walk. The highlight of the Warrior's weekend came in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, in which Hitzelberger hit his first collegiate home run in the bottom of the third inning. The sophomore was also perfect in the field, recording 38 putouts and two assists in 40 chances at first base.
GLIAC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Fitzpatrick served as WSU's Opening Day starter against the Chargers last Friday inside Ting Stadium. The veteran right-hander was stellar, allowing just two runs (one earned), one walk, and an impressive 10 strikeouts over 7.1 innings. The 10 punchouts against Hillsdale tied the reigning 2023 GLIAC Pitcher of the Year's career-high set on May 5, 2022, at Parkside.
ABOUT THE DRAGONS
Tiffin has played just one game so far this spring, a 7-3 loss to Charleston last Friday. The next three games of that series were canceled. Prior to the season, the Dragons were picked to finish in a tie-for-seventh out of 14 teams for the G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll. A season ago, TU finished 16-33 overall and 8-24 in league play. Tiffin is led by 12th-year head coach Joe Wilkins who owns a 234-275 career mark.
