Bulldogs host Pioneers in rematch of NEC Championship

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- The Bryant University baseball welcomes Sacred Heart to Conaty Park in a rematch of last year's Northeast Conference tournament championship. The Bulldogs and Pioneers are 1-2 in the NEC standings entering the weekend. The series begins on Friday with a first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

THE SERIES
Sacred Heart has had the most success of any NEC team against the Bulldogs over the last four years. The Bulldogs lead the Division I series 11-7 but the teams split six games last year. The Pionees won 3-of-4 during the season but the Black and Gold defeated SHU twice in the NEC tournament to capture their first tournament title.  

SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
One of the most successful programs in the NEC over the past four years, the Pioneers are enjoying another fine season this spring. They enter the weekend with a 20-20 overall record and a 7-5 mark in league play. SHU opened with a sweep of FDU but has since dropped three of four to Mount and split with LIU Brooklyn last weekend.

The second-best pitching staff in the league statistically, the Pioneers feature one of the best in league in senior Kody Kerski. He is 7-1 with a league-leading 1.32 ERA. Kerski has allowed just 10 runs in 61.1 innings and has struck out 55 while issuing just eight walks. Jeff Stoddard (3-2, 3.74), Jason Foley (2-2, 2.34) and Nick Morrissey (3-3, 3.55) are the other three weekend starters. Three-year starter Nick Leiningen has transitioned to the bullpen and has a 4.00 ERA in 14 appearances.

Offensively, the Pioneers are hitting just .260. Conor McEvoy leads the team with a .340 average, three doubles and three triples. Zack Short is hitting .307 and leads the team with 29 runs scored. Jayson Sullivan has nine doubles, three home runs and a team-high 22 RBI. The Pioneers have stolen 62 bases as a team. 

HE'S BACK!
Sophomore AJ Zarozny's season seemed to be over on March 2nd when he was hit by a pitch on his finger. Seven weeks later, however, he was back in the starting lineup and he didn't miss a beat. Zarozny returned on Apr. 25 and ripped the first pitch he saw off the wall for a double. He followed with two home runs in the same game the following day and scored a run in all four games with the Mountaineers.

CARL THE JET
Carl Anderson has been a menace on the bases this year, swiping 25 in 27 chances. He leads the conference and is ranked 9th in the country in total steals and stolen bases per game (0.61). With six stolen bases last week, Anderson set the Division I single-season record and the Division I career record for stolen bases with 25 and 50, respectively.