The Edward Waters Tigers (0-0) hit the road for a key season opening matchup in West Palm Beach, Florida against No.15 Keiser Seahawks (3-0) this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader on Friday and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Friday And Saturday January 29-30
Opponent: Edward Waters College vs. (15) Keiser University
Location: Silvester Field, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Time: 11:00 AM – 2 PM Doubleheader
Closed To The General Public.
Watch: Live Livestats
Overall in the series, Keiser leads, 25-14, but from 2009 to 2011, Edward Waters went 7-0 against the Seahawks, include upsetting the No.11 ranked team in 2016, winning the three-game series 2-1 as EWC finished the regular season 31-13. Last year the Tigers defeated Keiser, who received votes in NAIA Top 25 Coaches poll. The Seahawks come into the contest on a three game winning streak making back-to-back years that Keiser has started 3-0.
The Seahawks enter the weekend with hot bats, scoring 29 runs and batting .353 through the first three games this season. Ben McConnell (.538) and Tim Bouchard (.417) have stood out early, through 13 plate appearances.
Infielder Mason Dinesen and outfielder Matthew Catalfo have also put together a solid stretch of at-bats to start the season, combining to average .375 and batting in 9 runs.
Keiser has gotten some early season action from its bullpen to begin the season. The bullpen began emerging early in the second game of the Florida National University series, allowed one run in 7.0 innings pitched defeating Florida National University 16-1.
Edward Waters opens the 2021 season with a senior loaded roster. EWC boasts of a young but talented team. The key senior leadership; outfielders Damani Thomas, Alfedo Torres and Keilin Washington, along with infielders Marcus Judd, Cayden Frankie, catcher Ricardo Santana and the arm of Julio Flores will be stronger this season. They are battle tested against nationally ranked teams as they have a very tough non-conference schedule.
This will be a great measuring stick for the program to see where it stands with the elites of college baseball. Eight of their first 11 scheduled games are against powerhouse ranked teams including No.1 Southeastern University, and small college ranked Warner University. Latter in the season EWC squares off with No.3 Georgia Gwinnett College.
Julio, the ace of the staff and several key newcomers, freshmen (RHP) Alexander Davila and (LHP) Austin James, transfers Mark Anthony Perez and Payton Shubert will have a great impact immediately.
It should be a good start for the Tigers who are certainly searching for a bit of a new identity after losing so much to graduation last season. This four-game series will be a good test for the new-look rotation.
Taking a series over a nation’s highly-ranked team would go far in Edward Water’s path to success. At the same time, Keiser probably needs to win at least two and more likely sweep to maintain the No. 15 ranking. This is a great matchup between two teams. A sweep would be an enormous statement for both, but even taking two victories would be an accomplishment.
Weekend starters have yet to be announced by both teams. The contest is a non-conference tilt.