SERIES INFORMATION
Friday - - 4 p.m. (CT) - - Video  |  Live Stats  |  Tickets
Saturday - - 2 p.m. (CT) - - Video  |  Live Stats  |  Tickets
Sunday - - 1 p.m. (CT) - - Video  |  Live Stats  |  Tickets

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University baseball team will begin play in its 2017 campaign Friday at 4 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs welcome the UNC Asheville Bulldogs to Joe Lee Griffin Field for the opening matchup of a three-game series.
 
Samford heads into its season-opening contest eager to unveil the new-look Bulldogs. Boasting a young, talented squad this year, Head Coach Casey Dunn will rely on a core group of upperclassmen to lead the team through an arduous schedule.
 
Samford returns starting centerfielder T.J. Dixon, first baseman Austin Edens, as well as starting pitchers from last season Jared Brasher, Stephen Jones, Connor Radcliff, Mikhail Cazenave and Tristan Widra.
 
The Bulldogs' bullpen will also be well-stocked with talented arms, including returners Jack Rude, Tanner Cunningham, Wyatt Burns, Josh Rich, Jake Greer, Caleb Maggio, Cody Shelton, Kyle Stuart and Connor Burns.
 
Additionally, the 2016-17 Samford baseball team will include a lot of new faces this year. The Bulldogs boast 13 highly-touted newcomers, which are comprised of 10 true freshmen and three transfers.
 
Last season, the Bulldogs finished the 2016 campaign with a 35-26 overall record and advanced to the semifinal round of the SoCon Tournament for a fifth time since 2011. Samford has reached the 35-win plateau four times since the program's inception in 1905, and all four have been achieved in the last six seasons.
 
Since 2011, Samford is the winningest Division I program in the state of Alabama and the Bulldogs have had 19 players selected in the MLB Draft over the last six years.
 
Seniors T.J. Dixon (CF), Cunningham (RHP), Cazenave (RHP) and Brasher (RHP) will be asked to shoulder a predominant portion of the leadership role this season, while returning juniors Maggio (RHP), Grant Colton (C), Widra (RHP), Wyatt Burns (RHP), Greg Mula (3B), Edens (1B), Rich (RHP) and Greer (RHP) are expected to be key factors in Samford's success.
 
SAMFORD'S STARTING ROTATION
Friday - - RHP, Jesse McCord, So. (Spanish Fort, Alabama)
Saturday - - RHP, Mikhail Cazenave, Sr. (Rainbow City, Alabama)
Sunday - - RHP, Stephen Jones, So. (Tallahassee, Florida)
 
UNC ASHEVILLE'S STARTING ROTATION
Friday - - LHP, Greg Gasparro, Fr. (Pennington, New Jersey)
Saturday - - RHP, Ryan Tapp, So. (Monroe, North Carolina)
Sunday - - LHP, Spencer Orr, Sr. (Alpharetta, Georgia)
 
McCord, Samford's starting pitcher Friday, is in the midst of his first season in Birmingham. The Bulldogs' hard-throwing, 6-foot-2 sophomore from Spanish Fort, signed with Mississippi State following a brilliant high school career before transferring to Samford in the summer.
 
Following his senior year at SFHS, McCord was rated as the No. 66 incoming true freshman in America by Perfect Game. He earned 2014 MaxPreps and Louisville Slugger All-America honors, in addition to Perfect Game All-Southeast Region first-team honors, as well as garnering 2013 MaxPreps Underclassmen All-America and Perfect Game Underclassmen All-America honorable mention accolades in 2013, as well as Perfect Game honorable mention honors in 2012.
 
McCord went 12-1 with a 0.73 ERA his senior season, leading Spanish Fort High School to its fourth Class 5A state title in the previous five seasons. He struck out 122 batters with 24 walks in 86 innings of work his senior campaign.
 
The 2017 campaign marks the third season for UNC Asheville head coach Scott Friedholm and his coaching staff. While the first two seasons have seen growing pains, there have also been plenty of positives to build off.
 
Last season included a huge road win over 11th-ranked North Carolina as well as series wins over Mount St. Mary's, Presbyterian and Charleston Southern. Friedholm will have a roster of 26 players to work with this spring, including eight true freshmen. He returns 18 players from last year's roster, including four of the top five offensive producers from last season's team.
 
UNC Asheville's Joe Tietjen was recently named to the Perfect Game Preseason Big South All-Conference Team by the staff of Perfect Game and was listed in the top-five of the top prospects of the conference for this year's graduating class.
 
A senior outfielder from Waxhaw, North Carolina, Tietjen was named to the Big South All-Conference Second Team following the 2016 season. During his junior campaign, he led the team in nine offensive statistical categories, including batting average (.344), runs scored (44), hits (74), home runs (10) and stolen bases (12).
 
Tietjen also boasted a .553 slugging percentage, batted in 55 runs and collected 119 total bases in 215 at bats. For his career, Tietjen boasts a .306 batting average, has scored 101 runs, collected 145 hits and has driven in 90 runs. He has also swiped 23 bases and has 342 putouts in the field.
 
Samford opens its 2017 campaign with four straight home games. The Bulldogs kick-off the season Friday at 4 p.m. (CT) against UNC Asheville in the opening contest of a three-game weekend series. The teams will then square off at 2 p.m., on Saturday, and 1 p.m., on Sunday.
 
On Tuesday, the Bulldogs play host to in-state rival Troy at 4 p.m., at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow @SamfordBaseball and @Samford_Sports on Twitter.

SERIES INFORMATION
Friday - - 4 p.m. (CT) - - Video  |  Live Stats  |  Tickets
Saturday - - 2 p.m. (CT) - - Video  |  Live Stats  |  Tickets
Sunday - - 1 p.m. (CT) - - Video  |  Live Stats  |  Tickets