Box Score SAINT PETER'S (0-7) at FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON (3-6)
Tuesday, March 17, 2015, 3:30 p.m.
Naimoli Family Baseball Complex, Teaneck, N.J.
Pitching Matchups
LHP A.J. Celentano vs. RHP Nick Cuono
SAINT PETER'S (0-7) at SETON HALL (5-8)
Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 4 p.m.
Owen T. Carroll Field, South Orange, N.J.
Pitching Matchups
RHP Mark Wilson vs. TBA
opening pitch… Saint Peter's returns to the Garden State for the first time this season with midweek games at Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday and Seton Hall on Wednesday. It will be the final two games before the squad starts league play this week against Quinnipiac.
the word on the knights… Fairleigh Dickinson comes into the contest 3-6 overall after splitting a two-game set with UMass-Lowell on Sunday. Matt McCann leads the team with a .353 batting average, with 12 hits, six runs scored, two doubles and five RBIs. Patrick McClure is second on the team with a .333 batting average, eight hits, five runs scored, five doubles, a homer and seven RBIs while Joel Roman is third on the squad with a .318 batting average, seven hits, five runs scored, two doubles, a homer and four RBIs. Starting pitcher Nick Cuono is 0-1 on the year with two strikeouts in 8.1 innings pitched.
last time we met the knights… The Saint Peter's University baseball team managed just five hits, en route to a 5-1 defeat to Fairleigh Dickinson on Apr. 17, 2013. Zach Rawson finished 1-for-3 and drove in the lone Peacock run of the game.
the word on the hall… Seton Hall comes into the contest 5-8 overall after defeating Western Michigan on Saturday in Florida. Kyle Grimm leads the team with a .354 batting average with 17 hits, eight runs scored, three doubles and 12 RBIs. D.J. Ruhlman is second on the team with a .341 batting average with 15 hits, 12 runs scored, four doubles, a triple, three homers and 13 RBIs while Derek Jenkins is third with a .308 batting average with 12 hits, seven runs scored, a triple and seven RBIs.
last time against the pirates… Saint Peter's ended a four-game losing streak against Seton Hall with a 9-8 victory last season in South Orange on Mar. 19, 2014. The Pirates then defeated the Peacocks 11-3 on Mar. 27, 2014 and 15-0 on Apr. 29 in the final meeting last season.
last time out… Saint Louis completed a four-game sweep of Saint Peter's with two wins on Saturday in non-conference baseball action. The Bilikens took the opener 5-1 and then won the nightcap, 1-0.
Nick Henriquez paced the Peacocks with two hits and an RBI in the opener while Zach Rawson, Jose Martinez and Mike Ionta each added a hit on the night.
next on tap… The squad is scheduled to make its home debut against Quinnipiac with a three-game series this weekend.
add to the schedule… Saint Peter's has added a single game at St. John's to the schedule for Mar. 24 at 3 p.m.
preseason honors… Junior Rob Moore was named to the All-MAAC Preseason team. Moore paced the team in batting average (.307) and home runs (5) while ranking second in total bases (78), second in doubles (11), second in RBIs (30) and third in runs scored (24). The sophomore plated the game-winning run against Saint Louis and also smacked a three-run homer in an 8-7 victory against Monmouth on Apr. 6, 2014. He recorded a hit in 31 of the 45 games in played, including 10 games with two hits and four games with three base hits.
preseason poll… Canisius, the defending MAAC regular season champion, was tabbed as the preseason favorite after receiving 115 votes to edge Fairfield (107) by eight votes. Monmouth (89) was picked third and was followed by Siena (83), Quinnipiac (73), Manhattan (61), Rider (55), Marist (50), Niagara (38), Iona (35) and Saint Peter's (20).
2014 recognition… Seniors Nick Henriquez and Chris Hugg and juniors Jon Kristoffersen and Rob Moore were named to the All-MAAC second team last season.
single season hit leader… Junior Jon Kristoffersen recorded two hits against Rutgers on May 6, 2014 to become the program's all-time single-season hit leader with 65 and finished his sophomore year with 67 hits.
keep the light alive… Junior John Leiter comes from a great a great baseball family. Both of his uncles (Al and Mark) pitched in Major League Baseball.
new to the flock… Juniors Mike Doran and Jose Martinez, sophomore Michael Ammerman, and freshmen Anthony Assante, Sean Baker, Nick Ciocco, Mike Ionata, Willie Krajnik, J.T. McEwan, Christopher Micak, Angel Perez, Tom Puza and Tommy Toole have joined the team in 2015.
about the coach… T.J. Baxter assumes the head coaching duties in 2015 after serving as acting head coach for the 2014 season. Baxter played in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system after a successful collegiate playing career at New Orleans.
