Two weeks ago, the Sacred Heart University baseball team took on the top team in the Northeast Conference. Last weekend, they squared off with the second-place team. This time around, the Pios enter the weekend tied with their opponent, Wagner, for third place in the league. With 12 NEC games remaining, playoff positioning is most definitely on the line in the three-game set at Veteran's Park.
Once again, wet weather in the weekend forecast has forced some changes to the weekend schedule. The two teams will meet at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, with a decision to come early Friday morning on whether the day will feature a single game or a doubleheader. If only one game is played Friday, Saturday will become a doubleheader, but if two games are played Friday, only one will be necessary to round out the series on Saturday. More details will be available via SHU baseball social channels as they are announced.
Live stats and live audio will be available for all three games.
LAST TIME OUT
SHU and Massachusetts combined for 18 runs, 28 hits, seven errors and 21 men left on base, in what could only be termed "a midweek adventure" of three hours and nine minutes at a blustery Veteran's Park. A total of 13 different pitchers climbed the mound, while 29 different position players appeared in the game, representing more than 50% of the rostered players available to the two head coaches. UMass used four unearned runs with two outs in the ninth to claim a 10-8 victory.
A LOOK AT THE PIOS
Sacred Heart (16-18, 11-7 NEC) looks to quickly move on from its pair of midweek games, as the team squandered late leads on Tuesday and Wednesday. Instead, the Pios will look to channel the energy from last weekend, when they took two out of three at home against second-place Fairleigh Dickinson, including a 10-5 thumping of the Knights in Sunday's rubber game. Sam Mongelli leads the NEC in batting average (.410), is second in slugging percentage (.736) and is tied for second in home runs (10).
SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS
Wagner (18-16, 11-7 NEC) was drubbed at home by Seton Hall in its midweek contest on Wednesday, 14-5. The Seahawks are coming off a lost series at home to middle-of-the-pack Maryland Eastern Shore, despite taking Friday's opener, 8-3, as the visiting Hawks answered with 6-3 and 7-1 wins on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Wagner is fourth in the league in on-base percentage (.378) and fifth in ERA (6.74).
ON THE MOUND
Sacred Heart projected starters:
Friday: Jake Babuschak (RHP)
Season stats: 48.0 IP, 54 H, 29 R (25 ER), 18 BB, 38 K, 4.69 ERA, 1.50 WHIP
Last start: April 14 vs. FDU (W), 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Saturday: Jack Kramer (RHP)
Season stats: 41.0 IP, 43 H, 30 R (27 ER), 21 BB, 40 K, 5.93 ERA, 1.56 WHIP
Last start: April 15 vs. FDU (L), 3.0 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Sunday: TBD
Wagner projected starters:
Friday: Connor Hayden (RHP)
Season stats: 39.0 IP, 33 H, 20 R (18 ER), 24 BB, 32 K, 4.15 ERA, 1.46 WHIP
Last start: April 14 vs. UMES (W), 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Saturday: Zach Gorman (RHP)
Season stats: 20.2 IP, 21 H, 9 R (8 ER), 10 BB, 14 K, 3.48 ERA, 1.50 WHIP
Last start: April 15 vs. UMES (ND), 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 4 K
Sunday: Frankie Wright (RHP)
Season stats: 48.1 IP, 48 H, 25 R (24 ER), 13 BB, 43 K, 4.47 ERA, 1.26 WHIP
Last start: April 16 vs. UMES (L), 6.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R (6 ER), 1 BB, 9 K
LAST TIME AGAINST THE SEAHAWKS
SHU traveled to Wagner for a three-game set on Staten Island a year ago, with the host Seahawks claiming all three games: 10-2, 8-7 and 6-3. Ryan Donnelly had five hits across the weekend for the Pioneers. Hayden and Wright both made starts against SHU last year, with the latter putting together six innings of two-run, six-hit ball to lead the way in the Friday series opener.
ALL-TIME VS. WAGNER
The two teams have squared off 87 times in an all-time series that dates to 1998, with Wagner holding a slim, 44-43 edge, which includes a 41-38 margin in NEC play. SHU is 19-17 at home all-time against the Seahawks.
NEXT UP
SHU has a midweek home-and-home with Fairfield on Tuesday and Wednesday, before hitting the road to visit Coppin State for a three-game NEC series April 28-30.
