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Baseball opens NEC play with The Mount

Baseball opens NEC play with The Mount

BRYANT HOSTS MOUNT ST. MARY'S FOR FOUR GAMES THIS WEEKEND

GAME NOTES | BASEBALL GAMEDAY

LEADING OFF
The Bulldogs begin the home portion of their schedule as well as their Northeast Conference schedule this weekend with a four-game series against Mount St. Mary's at Conaty Park. It will be Bryant's first home games after playing its first 15 on the road.

THE SERIES
Bryant and Mount St. Mary's have met in each of the last three years, with the Bulldogs holding a decided 10-2 advantage. The Mount won the first two games of the series in 2010 but the Bulldogs have won the last 10, including four-game series sweeps in each of the last two seasons. Bryant has allowed just 22 runs over the past 10 games with The Mount.

SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
The Mount comes to Smithfield with a 4-10 record on the season and will also be playing its first NEC games. Last season, the Mountaineers finished eighth in league play with an 8-24 record. This season, The Mount has struggled after starting the season 2-1, losing nine-of-11. The Mountaineers do boast the top team batting average in the league at .274 but have posted a 6.17 team ERA. Tom Healy is hitting a team-high .358 with five doubles and 10 RBI. Sam Nott has been the biggest surprise for The Mount this year, clubbing five home runs while adding 19 RBI over the first 14 games of the season. On the mound, Scott Nickerson will get the start on Friday and has seen the most action this season. He's 1-3 with a 3.38 ERA in seven appearances. Saturday starter Alain Girman is 0-1 with a 2.76 ERA and a .222 opponents batting average.

BRYANT VS. THE NORTHEAST CONFERENCE
The Bulldogs have enjoyed immense success since joining the NEC for the 2010 season. In three years, the Bulldogs have posted a 68-27 (.716) record against league opponents and have won two regular-season titles. Last season, Bryant went 24-8 to claime its second title in three years. The Bulldogs have had the most success against Quinnipiac (11-1), The Mount (10-2), Fairleigh Dickinson (10-2) and Wagner (9-3).

BRYANT VS. THE MOUNT
After dropping the first two games to Mount St. Mary's in 2010, Bryant has won the last 10 games of the series. The Bulldogs won the final two games in 2010 and then posted a four-game series sweeps in each of the last two seasons. Last year, the Bulldogs put on an offensive display in Emmitsburg, Md., outscoring the Mountaineers 31-13 over the four games. Bryant hit .348 on the weekend and clubbed seven home runs, four from Kevin Brown and three from Mike DelPonte.

NEC OPENERS
Last year marked the first time the Black and Gold had won their NEC opener in three seasons. The Bulldogs lost to Monmouth to start league play in 2010 and to Central Connecticut in 2011. In NEC series openers, the Bulldogs are 1-1-1, having split with Monmouth, dropping three-of-four to CCSU and sweeping The Mount.

KELICH ECLIPSES 200 CAREER STRIKEOUTS AGAINST OHIO STATE
Senior Peter Kelich became just the fourth pitcher in Bryant history to record over 200 strikeouts in a career when he fanned seven against Ohio State last Friday. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits over 6.2 innings, throwing a season-high 106 pitches. By allowing just two runs to the Buckeyes, Kelich has now allowed five runs or fewer in 23-straight starts dating back to his freshman season in 2010.

SCHLITTER ONE OF NATIONS BEST
Through four starts, junior Craig Schlitter has posted one of the best strikeout-to-walk ratios in the country. In 23 innings, Schlitter has struck out 22 while issuing just two walks. His ratio of 11 places him 11th in the country in that category. South Carolina's Nolan Belcher leads the country with an astounding 36:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.