Dover, Del. (Mar. 18, 2016) --- The Delaware State baseball team begins its “second season” this weekend. The Hornets will open MEAC Northern Division play with a three-game series at defending division champ Norfolk State. The series begins with a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday at NSU's Marty Miller Field. The Hornets and Spartans will wrap up the series with a single game on Sunday (1 p.m.).
Delaware State is hoping the beginning of conference play will bring a change in fortunes this season. The Hornets are winless in 16 games, but will play 15 of their next 19 games against division foes.
DSU is also looking to turn things around at the plate. The Hornets have a .183 team batting average and just 16 extra base hits, including one home run, this season.
Among players with at least 20 at bats, freshman infielder Todd Henry leads the team with 13 hits and a .295 average (13-for-44). Henry is also tied for second on the team with two doubles.
First-year shortstop Chris Panzarella has the Hornets' lone home run and leads the club with five RBI, but is looking to improve on a .143 average (8-for-56).
The Hornet pitching staff has a 6.65 earned run average, but has an impressive 111-to-71 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season.
Righty Hunter McVey (so.) has a 2.76 earned run average with 15 strikeouts and just one walk in 10 appearances (16.1 IP) out of the bullpen this season.
Left-hander Jaylen Zielecki (jr.) has a 1.08 ERA, allowing just one earned run, while striking out five in 8.1 innings.
Norfolk State also begins conference play this weekend. The Spartans are 6-10 this season, highlighted by series victories over NJIT and Towson.
NSU's Sayeed Mahdi is tied for the MEAC lead with four home runs and is second in the conference with 17 RBI.
Spartan left-hander Matt Outman is the 2016 MEAC Preseason Pitcher-of-the-Year after earning the league's top pitcher award last season.
Norfolk State won the MEAC North with a 19-5 record last season, snapping the Hornets' three-year reign as division champs. Delaware State was third in the North at 13-11 in 2015.
