April 9, 2003
On Deck... The Fairfield University baseball team travels to the University of Massachusetts in a non-conference match up on Thursday afternoon. Fairfield enters the game with a 5-14-1 overall record and a 3-5 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
All-Time vs. UMass... The Minutemen lead the all-time series 11-4.
About the Minutemen... UMass enters the game 7-9 overall, and 3-3 in the Atlantic 10. Sophomore Mike Crane leads the Minutemen staff with a spotless 3-0 record with a 2.79 ERA. He has struck out 23 batters in 19 and one-thirds innings of work. Opposing hitters have struggled against him hitting just .194. Matt Reynolds is hitting .346 with three doubles, five runs scored and two runs batted in.
Last Time Out... Junior Tom Maisano struck out 11 batters to earn his second victory of the season, as the Fairfield University baseball team defeated Canisius College 8-5 in the first game of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader at the Demske Sports Complex, on Sunday afternoon.
The Stags (5-14-1, 3-5 MAAC) dropped the nightcap, 7-2. As the twin bill was a makeup from Saturday afternoon. Saturday's action was postponed due to an ice storm that hit the Buffalo area, on Friday afternoon. The third game of the conference series has been cancelled.
Maisano tossed seven and one-third innings of six hit ball, in the opener. Sophomore Greg Batista had a good day at the plate for the Stags going 3-for-3 with four runs scored, and one run batted in. Junior Antuan Barnett also had a solid day at the plate with a 3-for-5 outing with a double and two runs batted in.
Junior Nick Hudyma smacked two singles, and a double with driving in three runners, and a run scored for Fairfield.
"K" Corner... Junior Tom Maisano struck out 11 batters en route to his second win of the season, in the first game of a doubleheader at Canisius. The Long Island native also passes teammate Paul Gorra for the team lead in strikeouts with 28 on the season. Last season Maisano led Fairfield with 74 punch-outs. Maisano's career-high of 12 came against Duquesne in the 2002 season.
Nick Of Time... Junior Nick Hudyma kept hot at plate in Buffalo by going 5-for-7 in both games of a doubleheader against Canisius. The New Britain, Conn. native had a triple, and double had had three runs batted in. For the season he is hitting .328 with one homerun and six runs batted in. He also has a .443 on base percentage, and is 1-for-1 in stolen base attempts.
Rookie Sensation... Freshman Doug Anderson leads the team with 24 hits in 79 at-bats in his first season in the Red and White. He has one homerun, and eight RBI, while playing a solid shortstop for the Stags.
Power Numbers... Sophomore Greg Batista leads the team with 15 runs batted in. He is also second on the team to Antuan Barnett with two home runs. Barnett has smacked three round trippers on the season, and is second in RBI along with junior Sal Mancuso with 10.
In The Pen... Junior Matt Thiffault has been steady in relief for the Stags with two saves and a 1.86 ERA in seven appearances this season. Thiffault has improved his numbers over last season as he had a 6.49 ERA with two saves, and a 0-2 record.
Up Next... Fairfield begins a three-game Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series with Saint Peter's, at Alumni Diamond on Saturday and Sunday. The Stags and the Peacocks are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.
