Pioneers Looks to Finish Regular Season Strong Versus Wagner
5/19/2021 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
FAIRFIELD, Conn. — In the final stretch before the Northeast Conference Championships, the Sacred Heart University baseball team faces Wagner in a three-game series at home. The Pioneers kick off the showdown on Thursday at 3 p.m. and round out the weekend with the first pitch at 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
SHU clinched an NEC Tournament berth at the third spot with a 15-9 league record and 20-22 overall. Merrimack sits fifth in the conference with a 12-12 record and 18-20 overall.
Chase Jeter, Ryan LaMay and Jake Babuschak will call the mound their home as this series' starting pitchers. Jeter has a 3.04 ERA when facing conference rivals for the second spot. LaMay holds three wins, including a recent 4-3 victory in game two against Central Connecticut State, where Babuschak captured the sweep against CCSU – which earned himNEC Rookie of the Week. The first-year followed the triumph against CCSU – which earned him Rookie of the Week - with another on Sunday at the Warriors, going 5.1 innings with three strikeouts to clinch his fourth victory.
Out of the bullpen, right-hander Brendan Coffey has eight saves, which is the top spot in the league and 22nd in the NCAA. SHU leads the NEC with 11 saves.
Justin Jordan has tallied 13 runs in the past nine games, including three against Merrimack on Sunday. The junior has crossed the plate a career-high 35 times this season and is often driven in by Markmann who has a career-high 36 RBIs to garner the second spot in the conference.
Markmann is also second with 11 doubles while Elijah Brown is fourth with eight. The Pioneers are tops in the league with 62 two-baggers. Brown remains in first in stolen bases with 20 against league opponents and 25 overall to seal ninth in the NCAA.
Following this series, SHU travels to the NEC Championships, May 27-30, in Norwich, Conn.
