Top offenses meet in Brooklyn this weekend
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bryant | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 3 |
|
Long Island | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University baseball travels to Brooklyn, N.Y., this weekend for a four-game Northeast Conference series with LIU Brooklyn. The series begins on Thursday, April 17 with a 3:00 p.m. first pitch.
THE SERIES
The Bulldogs (22-10, 3-1 NEC) and the Blackbirds (18-12-1, 5-3) will be meeting for the sixth-straight season this weekend. Bryant holds a 14-7 lead in the all-time series, including a 4-2 mark last year. Bryant and LIU met twice in the NEC tournament last spring with the Blackbirds taking the tournament opener before the Bulldogs rebounded to oust them two days later.
TOP OFFENSES MEET IN BROOKLYN
The top two offensive teams in the NEC meet this weekend at LIU Field. LIU leads the league with a .318 batting average and are averaging a league-best 7.3 runs per game. Bryant is second in both categories (.296/6.9). The Bulldogs have reached double-digits on nine occasions, while the Blackbirds have done so 10 times.
THE BULLDOGS
Bryant enters the weekend coming off an NEC series victory over Central Connecticut. The Bulldogs won three-of-four against the Blue Devils at Conaty Park and now have won five-straight league series dating back to last season. After starting the season 3-6, the Bulldogs have gone 19-4 and hold an R.P.I. of 51.
Seven regulars are hitting over .300 for the Black and Gold and 11 players have scored 10 runs or more on the year. Bryant has posted a 3.26 ERA with 224 strikeouts in 273.1 innings. Opponents are hitting just .223 on the year.
THE BLACKBIRDS
LIU enters the weekend with a 5-3 record after two weeks of league play. The Blackbirds split their opening series with Wagner before taking three-of-four from Mount St. Mary's last weekend. Six regulars are hitting over .300 led by two-time reigning NEC Player of the Week John Ziznewski (.384/7HR/41RBI/37R). Pete Leonello has set the table all season long, leading the team with 38 runs scored, 10 stolen bases and a .470 OBP.
On the mound, LIU has had its ups and downs. The Blackbirds sport a 5.35 team ERA and have struck out just 158 batters in 254 innings. Matt McCormick, a graduate student, is the only starter with a sub-4.00 ERA (3.29) and defeated the Bulldogs two years ago at LIU Field. Brian Drapeau has allowed 56 hits in 40 innings but also leads the team with 27 strikeouts. Freshman Bobby Maxwell has already earned a NEC Rookie of the Year honor and is 3-2 with a 4.35 ERA.
HEY THERE, CARL
Junior outfielder Carl Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.) currently leads the Bulldogs in average (.343), hits (46), doubles (10), RBI (25), runs scored (27), stolen bases (17) and is tied for the team lead with three home runs.
GRAND LARCENY
The Bulldogs have been running the bases with reckless abandonment this season. In 32 games Bryant has stolen 59 bases and been caught just 10 times. They were 9-of-11 at the College Baseball Classic and are currently 18th in the country in total stolen bases and 12th in stolen bases per game (1.84).
THREE-HEADED MONSTER
The Bulldogs trio of Kevin McAvoy (Syracuse, N.Y.), Craig Schlitter (Guilford, Conn.) and Vaughn Hayward (Glendale, R.I.) has baffled teams so far this season. The three are a combined 16-3 with a 2.80 ERA in 138.1 innings. They have struck out 112 and issued just 39 walks. Hayward has won six-straight decisions, while McAvoy and Schlitter have each won their last five decisions.