
Photo by: Tim Cowie/DavidsonPhotos.com
Top-Seeded Wildcats Set to Host A-10 Championship
5/23/2022 7:45:00 PM | Baseball
It's tournament time in Davidson!
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The Atlantic 10 regular-season champion Wildcats will host the seven-team A-10 Baseball Championship this week at Wilson Field.
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The double-elimination event begins at noon on Tuesday and will feature three games per day the first three days. The semifinals are set for Friday, with the championship game(s) Saturday.
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The Wildcats concluded the regular season with a 12-4 victory — and series win — over George Mason this past weekend and enter the postseason 42-11 overall and 20-4 in A-10 play. Both records are program-bests, and the outright regular-season crown is the program's first.
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As the top seed, Davidson has a first-day bye and will take the field Wednesday at noon against either No. 4 Rhode Island or No. 5 George Mason, who will meet in the tournament's first game.
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VCU, voted the 2022 preseason favorite, won last year's championship.
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FOES KNOWN
The Wildcats will recognize all their opponents this week — they met them all during the regular season.
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The Wildcats went 2-1 in series against No. 2 VCU, No. 3 Saint Louis, No. 4 Rhode Island and No. 5 George Mason and swept series against No. 6 Saint Joseph's and No. 7 Richmond.
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In league play, the Wildcats also swept UMass and St. Bonaventure.
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BACK IN THE BRACKET
This will be the Wildcats' first A-10 tournament since the 2019 event Fordham won on its home field. The 2020 season was cut short by COVID-19, and the Wildcats were outside the smaller four-team tournament a year ago.
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In 2019, Davidson went 3-2 as the No. 2 seed with wins over Saint Louis, Rhode Island and Richmond and two losses to eventual runner-up Dayton.
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In five A-10 postseason entries so far, the Wildcats are 14-9.
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'CATS WON IT IN 2017
The Wildcats are seeking their second A-10 championship, following a storybook run in 2017.
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That year, the Wildcats snuck into the seven-team event as the No. 6 seed after winning two of three at UMass in their final regular-season series. Then they went 5-1 and advanced to their first NCAA Regional by topping top-seeded VCU twice in the championship round.
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Wildcats Durin O'Linger and Alec Acosta shared Co-MVP honors in the tournament. O'Linger pitched three times, while Acosta, who entered with one career home run, hit five round-trippers.
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The 2017 A-10 championship win started a postseason run that included a 3-0 performance at the Chapel Hill Regional and a trip to the College Station Super Regional.
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Davidson also reached the 2016 A-10 final as the No. 6 seed and lost to Rhode Island.
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THE WILDCATS HAVE …
• 6 hitting over .300: Michael Carico, Ryan Wilson, Trevor Candelaria, Jacob Hinderleider, Parker Nolan, Henry Koehler
• 4 with double-digit HRs: Carico, Nolan, Candelaria, Hinderleider
• 7 with 40+ RBIs: Candelaria, Wilson, Carico, Hinderleider, Nolan, Koehler, John Hosmer
• 3 with double-digit steals: Wilson, Candelaria, Nolan
• 3 starting pitchers with sub-3 ERAs and at least 8 wins: Ryan Feczko, Blake Hely, Nolan DeVos
• 2 pitchers with at least 93 strikeouts: DeVos, Hely
• 2 relievers with at least 5 saves: Gabe Levy, Bennett Flynn
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THE LAST FIVE CHAMPIONS
2021: VCU
2019: Fordham
2018: Saint Louis
2017: Davidson
2016: Rhode Island
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The Atlantic 10 regular-season champion Wildcats will host the seven-team A-10 Baseball Championship this week at Wilson Field.
Â
The double-elimination event begins at noon on Tuesday and will feature three games per day the first three days. The semifinals are set for Friday, with the championship game(s) Saturday.
Â
The Wildcats concluded the regular season with a 12-4 victory — and series win — over George Mason this past weekend and enter the postseason 42-11 overall and 20-4 in A-10 play. Both records are program-bests, and the outright regular-season crown is the program's first.
Â
As the top seed, Davidson has a first-day bye and will take the field Wednesday at noon against either No. 4 Rhode Island or No. 5 George Mason, who will meet in the tournament's first game.
Â
VCU, voted the 2022 preseason favorite, won last year's championship.
Â
Â
FOES KNOWN
The Wildcats will recognize all their opponents this week — they met them all during the regular season.
Â
The Wildcats went 2-1 in series against No. 2 VCU, No. 3 Saint Louis, No. 4 Rhode Island and No. 5 George Mason and swept series against No. 6 Saint Joseph's and No. 7 Richmond.
Â
In league play, the Wildcats also swept UMass and St. Bonaventure.
Â
Â
BACK IN THE BRACKET
This will be the Wildcats' first A-10 tournament since the 2019 event Fordham won on its home field. The 2020 season was cut short by COVID-19, and the Wildcats were outside the smaller four-team tournament a year ago.
Â
In 2019, Davidson went 3-2 as the No. 2 seed with wins over Saint Louis, Rhode Island and Richmond and two losses to eventual runner-up Dayton.
Â
In five A-10 postseason entries so far, the Wildcats are 14-9.
Â
Â
'CATS WON IT IN 2017
The Wildcats are seeking their second A-10 championship, following a storybook run in 2017.
Â
That year, the Wildcats snuck into the seven-team event as the No. 6 seed after winning two of three at UMass in their final regular-season series. Then they went 5-1 and advanced to their first NCAA Regional by topping top-seeded VCU twice in the championship round.
Â
Wildcats Durin O'Linger and Alec Acosta shared Co-MVP honors in the tournament. O'Linger pitched three times, while Acosta, who entered with one career home run, hit five round-trippers.
Â
The 2017 A-10 championship win started a postseason run that included a 3-0 performance at the Chapel Hill Regional and a trip to the College Station Super Regional.
Â
Davidson also reached the 2016 A-10 final as the No. 6 seed and lost to Rhode Island.
Â
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THE WILDCATS HAVE …
• 6 hitting over .300: Michael Carico, Ryan Wilson, Trevor Candelaria, Jacob Hinderleider, Parker Nolan, Henry Koehler
• 4 with double-digit HRs: Carico, Nolan, Candelaria, Hinderleider
• 7 with 40+ RBIs: Candelaria, Wilson, Carico, Hinderleider, Nolan, Koehler, John Hosmer
• 3 with double-digit steals: Wilson, Candelaria, Nolan
• 3 starting pitchers with sub-3 ERAs and at least 8 wins: Ryan Feczko, Blake Hely, Nolan DeVos
• 2 pitchers with at least 93 strikeouts: DeVos, Hely
• 2 relievers with at least 5 saves: Gabe Levy, Bennett Flynn
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THE LAST FIVE CHAMPIONS
2021: VCU
2019: Fordham
2018: Saint Louis
2017: Davidson
2016: Rhode Island
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Players Mentioned
2024 Davidson Baseball Alumni Game Will DuBose message
Wednesday, August 14
Baseball Wins at Kannapolis
Thursday, March 16
Baseball - A-10 Regular Season Champions
Monday, January 30
Baseball - Parker Nolan Mic'd Up
Monday, January 30