Charleston, W. Va – With the University of Charleston on Spring Break, Baseball will play against the Railsplitters of Lincoln Memorial in a 9-inning affair on Tuesday, February 28 at 3:00 pm. Charleston faced off against Lincoln Memorial in 2022 opening the year with a 2-1 series win in Harrogate, Tenn. 
 
Game vs Lincoln Memorial (9 Innings)
Date: Tuesday February 28, 2023 | Time: 3:00 pm  | Video | Live Stats
 
Charleston Preview
Charleston improved their record to 5-4 with a series win over Ohio Dominican last weekend. They took game one by a final score of 10-5 on Friday afternoon. Struggling on defense in game two on Saturday, Charleston fell for the first time in 2023 at Segra Field, a 6-1 loss in the first game of the double header. They bounced back taking a decisive 11-6 win in the rubber game.
 
In the series, Giano Zuccaro led the way offensively hitting .556 with a home run, two doubles, five RBI, two stolen bases, and four runs scored. He currently leads UC with a .478 average and a 1.593 OPS.
 
JD Armstrong has stepped onto the scene in a big way early in the season. The High Point transfer went 6-13 against ODU last weekend, collecting three hits in the front and back end of the series. On the season he is hitting .429 with a double, a triple, three RBI and six runs scored. He has only struck out twice in 26 plate appearances.
 
Ethan Soderna currently leads the team on the pitching side. The Charleston ace has pitched in three games, throwing 14.0 innings allowing eight earned runs on 8 hits with 16 strikeouts to the tune of a 5.14 ERA. Opponents are hitting just .160 against the Chicago grad transfer.
 
Game two starter Dane Sykes leads UC with 19 strikeouts in 13.1 innings and a 5.40 ERA.
 
A bullpen game by design on Tuesday, Charleston is likely to run out last year's game four starter Drew Beckner for the midweek matchup. Beckner has pitched in just one game this season, a game two loss to nationally ranked Wingate. He pitched two innings in the contest, allowed one earned run and struck out three.
 
A slew of arms will likely finish the contest on Tuesday and a limited use of the bullpen this weekend will free up some arms for the midweek matchup. Sam Slodic has pitched three innings in the early season, a three inning save against Bloomsburg, where he struck out six and did not allow a run. 
 
The Opponent
 
Lincoln Memorial is 10-1 in their first 11 games of the season, their only loss coming at the hands of Erskine on Tuesday, February 21.
 
On offense they are led by Andrew Keene. The senior is hitting .424 in 33 at bats with three home runs, four doubles, and a triple. He has collected 14 RBI in just eight games and has crossed the plate 12 times in that span. Carson Boles is leading the Railsplitters with 16 hits, batting .390 with three extra base hits and a team high 10 walks.
In a bullpen game, Lincoln Memorial may hold a slight edge. They have four relievers that have combined for 32.0 IP all with a sub 2.30 ERA.