TOLEDO, Ohio – The University of Toledo baseball team opens its 2021 season at USC Upstate this weekend with a three-game series.
Friday's opener is set for a 3:00 p.m. start, first pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., and the series finale on Sunday will begin at 1:00 p.m. All three games this weekend will be streamed live on ESPN+. As always, follow along on Twitter at @ToledoBaseball for any and all updates.
Probable Starters
Friday: Watch | Live Stats | LHP Wyatt Jefferson vs. RHP Jordan Marks
Saturday: Watch | Live Stats | RHP Chris Meyers vs. RHP Alex Garbrick
Sunday: Watch | Live Stats | RHP Jordan Power vs. RHP Ben Ferrer
Rocket Notes
- Toledo's non-conference opponents posted a combined record of 64-18 in the abbreviated 2020 season.
- Darryn Davis was named one of the Top 30 second basemen in the country by D1Baseball. He hit .400 while slugging .550 and reaching base at a .532 clip last season. Davis led the Rockets in all three of those categories as well as RBIs (17), hits (24), and runs scored (14)
- Chris Meyers had a team-high four home runs in 16 games last year while slugging .516 and walking a team-high 15 times. After pitching out of the bullpen in 2020, Meyers will begin this season in the rotation.
- Friday's starter Wyatt Jefferson posted a team-best 2.77 ERA in three starts and held opponents to a .186 batting average.
- Kyle Bischoff struck out 18 in just 9.2 innings out of the bullpen last year.
Scouting the Competition
USC Upstate was picked to finish third in the Big South in the preseason coaches' poll, receiving two first-place votes. Friday's starter Jordan Marks was the runner-up choice for preseason conference pitcher of the year after posting a 1.75 ERA, 29 strikeouts, and just three walks in 25.2 innings last season. Senior Julian Rip returns as the Spartans' leading hitter after a 2020 season in which he posted hit .368, slugged .561, and reached base at a .493 clip.
