Feb. 25, 2005

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The University of Rhode Island baseball team opens the most anticipated season in school history on Friday night when the Rams play at No. 12 ranked Florida at 6:30 p.m.

Rhode Island, which won a school record 35 games last season, is receiving votes for the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association Top 35 Poll. The defending Atlantic 10 regular season champions return every significant contributor with the exception of All-American Dan Batz, who was drafted in the sixth round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Rhody head coach Frank Leoni will march out his three returning conference starting pitchers, who finished a combined 20-6 last season. Senior Dan Frederick will get the ball in the opener Friday. The second-team All-New England and second-team All-Atlantic 10 selection finished 7-3 with a 3.73 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 82 innings pitched last spring.

Florida's fourth-year head coach Pat McMahon will be sending junior right-hander Alan Horne (0-0, 3.75 ERA, 12.0 IP, 10 K) to the hill on Friday night.

No. 12 Florida enters the series with a 6-2 record, including taking two out of three from then No. 2 ranked Miami last weekend. Sophomore right fielder Brian Leclerc paces UF's offense with a .476 (10-for-21) batting average, with nine runs batted in and three homers.

Although he had a seven-game hitting streak snapped in Florida's 18-3 win over Florida A&M on Tuesday, senior center fielder Jeff Corsaletti is at .414 and leads the Orange and Blue in RBIs (12) and stolen bases (3-for-3).

The most recent SEC Player of the Week, LaPorta is hitting .375 with a team-high five round-trippers and has driven in 11 runs. As a club, Florida is batting .316 (91-for-288) and has out-scored foes by an 80-39 margin.

Rhode Island's 2004 All-American and Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year Zack Zuercher will get the start Saturday and sophomore Steve Holmes on Sunday. Gator junior Bryan Ball (1-0, 0.75 ERA, 12.0 IP, 11 K) will oppose Zuercher on Saturday, while senior Tommy Boss (1-0, 8.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 3 K) is scheduled to face Holmes on Sunday.

As a staff, UF's hurlers have registered a 3.55 earned run average with 72 strikeouts and issued only 12 walks in 76 innings of action.

The game can be followed here at GoRhody.com by internet audio broadcast and live stats.