NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware baseball team will open its highly anticipated 2007 season with a weekend series at the University of Richmond in Richmond, VA this Friday through Sunday.

Delaware, which went 30-24 in 2006, returns 10 position players who started 24 games or more one season ago. The Hens led all of college baseball in home runs per game, doubles per game and slugging percentage, and established new school records for home runs and extra base hits. The powerful Blue Hen offense will once again be led by junior centerfielder Brandon Menchaca (.395, 16 HR, 64 RBI in 2006 at right), sophomore second baseman Alex Buchholz (.378, 18, 64) and senior co-captain Bryan Hagerich (.288, 16, 55).

On the mound Delaware welcomes a host of arms poised to reinforce a unit that was ravaged by injuries in 2006. Senior lefthanders Brent Gaphardt and co-captain Mitch Heckert return to health following elbow surgery, and newcomer David Slovak finished 2006 with 14 saves, good for second place among the nation’s junior colleges.

The Blue Hens will return home to face Saint Joseph’s in their home opener on Wednesday, February 28 before travelling to Charlottesville, VA to take on the No. 7 ranked Virginia Cavaliers over the weekend of March 2-4. Friday’s season-opener as well as Saturday’s game against the Spiders will be broadcast live on the University of Delaware student radio station, 91.3 FM WVUD. In addition, Friday's and Saturday's games will be broadcast live via streaming video here. The link is free with registration.

Senior lefthander Billy Harris will start Friday’s game for the Hens ,while junior Matt Heppner, who earned the Delaware team pitcher of the year award in 2006, will start Saturday, with Sunday’s starter yet to be determined.