GREENVILLE, South Carolina -- The Marist baseball team opens the 2018 season with a matchup at the Furman University Paladins on Friday (4 pm), Saturday (1 pm) and Sunday (1 pm).

LAST SEASON:

The Red Foxes are coming off a 2017 season that saw the team win 32 games, claim its first MAAC Championship since 2009 and advance to the NCAA Regionals for the seventh time in program history. Marist competed in the Gainesville Regional in the NCAA Tournament and trailed eventual National Champion Florida by one run heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. The Red Foxes finished the season with an overall record of 32-23, the best since 2011 and had one All-ECAC selection, three All-MAAC selections, four MAAC All-Tournament Team selections, the MAAC Tournament MVP, the MAAC Pitcher of the Year and one Major League Baseball Draft selection.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES:

Marist was picked to finish first in the 2018 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, as voted by the league's 11 head coaches. After winning the program's league high sixth MAAC Championship in 2017, the Red Foxes secured a conference leading seven first place votes and topped the poll with 113 points total. In addition to being picked first, senior left handed pitcher Charlie Jerla and junior outfielder Frankie Gregoire (unanimous selection) were named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team at pitcher and outfielder respectively.

In addition to being picked to finish first by the MAAC head coaches, the Red Foxes were also predicted to finish in the top spot by Perfect Game and were picked to finish second by D1Baseball.com and Baseball America. Gregoire and Jerla were also selected to the Preseason All-MAAC Team by Perfect Game and Jerla was named the MAAC Pireseason Pitcher of the Year by Perfect Game and D1Baseball.com and was named the #5 overall MLB Draft Prospect in the conference by Baseball America. 

WHAT'S COMING BACK:

Marist has a very optimistic outlook for the 2018 season, returning the reigning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year and 12 of its 16 total pitchers that went a combined 32-23 with a 4.08 ERA to go along with a 2.31 strikeout to walk ratio and a 2.48 batting average against in 468.1 inning pitched. Highlighting this group are MAAC Pitcher of the Year, All-MAAC First Team and All-Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Second Team selection senior Charlie Jerla (9-2, 4.08 ERA, 70.2 IP, 3.00 K/BB & .251 BAA) on the starting side and redshirt junior Tony Romanelli (2-2, 3.24 ERA, 41.2 IP, 9 SV, 3.13 K/BB & .186 BAA) in the bullpen.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Red Foxes return seven of their nine starting positions players and 14 of their 16 position players overall that combined for a .278 batting average in 55 games played with 506 hits, 331 runs scored, 84 doubles, 28 home runs, 276 RBI and a .372 on base percentage. Within this group is the team's top four hitters, seven of the top eight hitters overall, the team's top three leaders in hits, four of the top five leaders in home runs and the top four leaders in RBI. Included in this are senior Andrew Rouse (54 GP, .311, 64 H*, 13 2B, 3 HR, 34 RBI, 35 R, .391 OBP & .417 SLG), junior Randy Taveras (48 GP, .303, 50 H, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 33 R, .406 OBP & .430 SLG) and All-MAAC First Team selection juniore Gregoire (55 GP, .297, 57 H, 9 HR*, 43 RBI*, 46 R*, .394 OBP & .479 SLG*).

STARTING ROTATION:

Marist will look to its starting pitching to set the tone for the beginning of the season.

Sophomore Skyler Pichardo -- 5 app, 2.01 ERA, 4.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 7 K + 5 BB in 2017

Senior Charlie Jerla -- 9-2, 4.08 ERA, 70.2 IP, 3.00 K/BB + .251 BAA in 2017

Sophomore Conor McNamara -- 12 app, 7 stats, 4-2, 6.07 ERA, 29.2 IP, 39 H, 20 ER, 19 K + 9 BB in 2017

SCOUTING THE PALADINS:

Furman is coming off a 2017 season that saw the Paladins finish with a 32-38 overall, a 14-10 record in the Southern Conference and a conference runner up finish in the SoCon Championship. Returning for Furman in 2018 on the offensive side is senior Brandon Elmy who lead the team with a .341 average in 2017 to go along with 75 hits (3rd), 15 doubles (T-2nd), 11 home runs (T-2nd) and 49 RBI (2nd). On the mound, the Paladins are led by redshirt junior Grant Schuermann who finished 2017 with a 7-4 record with a 4.19 ERA to go along with 96.2 IP, 105 H, 56 runs, 45 earned runs, 60 strikeouts and 11 walks. 

HOW TO FOLLOW: 

Live streams will be available for all three games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Live stats will be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and a live audio stream will be available on Friday and Sunday. Fans can also follow @Marist_BSB on Twitter for in game updates. 

UP NEXT:

Following the series with the Paladins, the Red Foxes will travel to Stillwater, OK for a three game series against the defending Big 12 Champion Oklahoma State Cowboys on Friday, Feb. 23- Sunday, Feb. 25.