Baseball Sets For Four At NJIT
ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany baseball team travels to Newark, N.J. this weekend for a four-game non-conference series against the NJIT Highlanders. The squads will play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m. and a twin bill Sunday at noon.
GAMES 35-38
UAlbany (7-27) at NJIT (14-19) – Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium – Newark, N.J.
Saturday, May 3 (1 p.m.) DH
Sunday, May 4 (12 p.m.) DH
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
PITCHING PROBABLES
Game 1
NJIT: Matt Coughlin (Sr., RHP) (1-3, 6.87 ERA)
UAlbany: Kevin Archbold (Sr., LHP) (1-3, 2.66 ERA)
Game 2
NJIT: 2. Ian Bentley (So., LHP) (4-3, 3.47 ERA)
UAlbany: Ryan Stinar (So., RHP) (1-2, 5.48 ERA)
Game 3
NJIT: 3. DJ Roche (Sr., RHP) (3-2, 3.42 ERA)
UAlbany: Matt Gallup (Jr., RHP) (1-4, 7.98 ERA)
Game 4
NJIT: 4. Alex Daniele (Fr., RHP) (3-2, 3.14 ERA)
UAlbany: Brendan Ryan (So., LHP) (0-2, 3.04 ERA)
SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES
2014 Record: 7-24, 4-14 America East
Head Coach: Jon Mueller (15th season / 307-435-5)
THE COACH: Jon Mueller is in his 15th season as the head coach of the University at Albany baseball program in 2014. The Stillwater, N.Y. native has had proven success as both a player and coach throughout his career. Mueller ranks first among UAlbany’s career leaders with 307 coaching victories, and was named the America East Coach of the Year in 2004. He also led the Danes to the program’s first America East Conference tournament championship title and NCAA appearance in 2007. Mueller has produced dozens of all-conference standouts and has had six players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft under his direction, including two in the past three seasons.
LAST TIME OUT: UAlbany comes off Thursday’s 6-4 loss to Central Connecticut. The Danes held a 4-3 advantage into the seventh inning, but the hosting Blue Devils (19-15) came from behind to take the win away, scoring three unanswered runs. UAlbany totaled eight hits led by Craig Lepre and Richard Bacon’ 2-for-4 performances.
UALBANY LEADERS: Batting .241 as a team on the season, UAlbany is led by senior Brian Bullard’s .331 average with 13 RBI and 21 runs scored. Sophomore Evan Harasta follows, batting .306 with 21 runs batted in, while senior D.J. Hoagboon has a .284 average with 18 runs. Defensively, UAlbany has a .943 fielding percentage and the pitching staff owns a collective 6.95 ERA.
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
2014 Record: 14-19, 0-0 Independent
Head Coach: Brian Guiliana (2nd season)
LAST TIME OUT: The Highlanders come off a split four-game series at Fairleigh Dickinson. NJIT won game one, 9-1, before dropping Saturday’s nightcap, 12-4. The results reversed on Sunday as Fairleigh won the first one, 3-2, before the Highlanders rebounded for a 5-2 victory in the finale. NJIT’s midweek contest with Wagner was cancelled due to rain.
NJIT LEADERS: As a team, the Highlanders have a .259 batting average led by Mike Rampone’s .317 average and 20 RBIs, while Matt Weckerle (.306, 25 RBI) and Teddy Bickert (.304, 11 RBI) have been consistent threats in the order. Defensively, the squad owns a .954 fielding percentage, while the pitching staff has a 4.85 ERA.
NETHAWAY IN THE RECORD BOOK
Hitting one double on Sunday against Stony Brook, senior Josh Nethaway has now hit 51 doubles in his career and is tied with the program record-holder Michael Oliva (1997-01). In addition, Nethaway ranks in the top-5 for career RBIs, currently with 123. He is just three away from Oliva’s second-place mark (126), while Steve Checksfield (1998-01) holds the record with 168.
NETHAWAY NEARS 200 HITS
Nethaway enters the week with 193 career hits, just seven away from becoming UAlbany’s seventh member of the 200-hits club.
UP NEXT
UAlbany will stay out of conference and on the road, playing at St. John’s Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. The game will air live on ESPN3.
