The Bradley Baseball program will open its 111th season this weekend by taking on both Dayton and host Lipscomb in a pair of games in Nashville, Tenn.
The 2011 season opens with an noon (CST) game Friday versus Dayton and the Braves will take on host Lipscomb in an 11 a.m. game Saturday. Bradley will play a twinbill Sunday, at 11 a.m. versus Dayton and 3 p.m. against Lipscomb. For more on the opening of the 2011 baseball season, watch Dave Snell's report from Wednesday's practice at the Avanti's Dome in Pekin.
Third-year Bradley head coach Elvis Dominguez welcomes a lineup that returns 16 lettermen, including six starting position players and seven pitchers, from a squad that went 20-32 overall last season and finished seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference with an 8-13 league record. The Braves also welcome 14 newcomers to the lineup.
Offensively, the 2011 Braves figure to be led by senior outfielder Brian Martin, who led the 2010 Braves with a .364 batting average, as well as 104 total bases, 39 runs batted in, 12 doubles and 24 stolen bases. The pitching staff figures to be led by junior hurlers Joe Bircher (LHP) and Jacob Booden (RHP).
