FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University baseball team returns home after a 10-game away stint this weekend for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series against Canisius.
 
Due to expected weather, games one and two will be played as a doubleheader Friday starting at noon. Game three will be decided after Friday.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Pioneers dropped their first conference series to Fairfield last weekend. SHU fell to the Stags in a doubleheader Friday but came back to win game three in dominating fashion 20-2 on Saturday.
 
As far as midweek competition goes, the Pios played two back-to-back games on the road facing Stony Brook Tuesday and FDU Wednesday. SHU dropped a heartbreaker to the Seawolves as they were up six runs heading into the bottom of the ninth and fell on a walk off, 14-13. Wednesday was a different story as SHU dominated the Knights 14-1 with the mercy rule in effect, ending the game in seven innings.
 
Starting in all five contests, Alex Ungar led the Pioneers offensively, batting .409 with nine hits, six runs, seven RBIs five doubles, a triple and a home run.
 
Playing against FDU, first year CJ Nolan had a standout performance for the Pios, going perfect at the plate with two hits, three runs, a double and a grand slam.
 
Of our weekend guys, Ryan Parker was best on the mound Saturday at Fairfield, securing the win with pitching 7.0 innings allowing just four hits, two earned runs and held batters to a .167 batting average.
 
Mitch Hawkins also had an outstanding performance on the mound for the Pios on Wednesday at FDU, with his first collegiate complete game and securing a career-high seven strikeouts while maintaining a 0.00 ERA.
 
SCOUTING CANISIUS
The Golden Griffins are currently 6-19 and 4-7 in conference play coming off their first conference series win against Marist last weekend. While game three was canceled due to weather, Canisius took the first two games in a doubleheader Friday, 11-2 and 7-4. Canisius also faced St. Bonaventure in its midweek game on Wednesday, falling 13-6.
 
Senior Trent Rumley leads the Golden Griffins offensively, batting .363 on the season securing 33 hits, seven home runs, 10 doubles, 29 RBIs and has a slugging percentage of .703. He leads the team in hits, RBIs, home runs, doubles, runs, slugging percentage and on base percentage.
 
Canisius only has two pitchers who qualify for one inning pitched per game. Peyton Consigli has an ERA of 6.23 over 34.2 innings pitched. The senior right-handed pitcher has struck out 46 batters with a 1-4 record.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
This will be the first meeting between the two teams in program history.
 
UP NEXT
The Pioneers will host UMass for a midweek game Tuesday, April 15, at 3 p.m.