April 18, 2003
On Deck... The Fairfield University baseball team travels to Marist College for a three-game Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series with the Red Foxes. The Stags enter the weekend with a 6-19-1 overall record and a 4-7 mark in the MAAC.
All-Time vs. Marist... The Red Foxes lead the all-time series 16-4.
Hot Bats... Against Saint Peter's last Monday juniors Greg Batista and Nick Hudyma had very productive outings. Batista led the way by going 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Hudyma went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
About Marist... Marist enters the series with a 19-10-1 overall record and a 9-3 mark in the MAAC.
Last Time Out... Rhode Island scored three times in the top of the ninth inning, to come-from-behind and snatch a 7-6 win over the Fairfield University baseball team on Wednesday afternoon, at Alumni Diamond.
The Stags (6-19-1, 4-7 MAAC) led 6-4 entering the top of the ninth inning, but the Rams (15-17) sent eight runners to the pate scoring three runs on four hits to take the lead. Fairfield jumped out to a 4-0 lead with an RBI single from junior Antuan Barnett (Bronx, N.Y./Rice) to bring home junior Andy Lynn (Montville, N.J./Delbarton) who singled and stole second to start the inning.
The Stags would add three runs in the next inning, when junior Mike Wray (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) doubled down the left field line to bring home fellow classmates Nick Hudyma (New Britain, Conn./New Britain) and Sal Mancuso (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage). Wray would come home on a single from leadoff hitter Mark Geanuleas (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./New Church).
Fairfield starter Sean Keegan (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug) looked good early, holding the Rams off the board for the first four innings. He finished the day giving up four runs one earned on five hits and two walks. The freshman right-hander struck out three Rhode Island hitters.
The Rams scored four times in the top of the fifth inning, but the Stags would cross the plate twice in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-4 lead. With the bases loaded and two out Hudyma reached on an error with the Ram second baseman, bringing home Barnett and Mancuso.
Geanuleas would lead the Stags at the plate with a 2-for-5 with a run batted in. Barnett would go 1-for-3 with one RBI, one run scored, and a walk. Matt Sullivan led the Rams at the plate, by going 3-for-5 with four runs batted in.
Among The Best... Junior Sal Mancuso is ranked seventh by the NCAA in doubles per game in the first National rankings of the 2003 season, earlier this week. With games through last Sunday Mancuso has 12 doubles for a 0.55 per game average.
Quick Hits... Mark Geanuleas who has hit in the leadoff spot for the last three games has reached base five times in the last two games. On Wednesday he went 2-for-5 with a run batted in, and on Tuesday at Pace he got hit by a pitch twice, and drew a walk... Junior Andy Lynn leads the team with 28 hits on the season, after going 1-for-3 with a run scored on Wednesday afternoon... Sophomore Greg Batista leads the team with 18 runs batted in, while sporting a .323 batting average... Junior Tom Maisano has a 2-1 record with a 4.14 ERA, and a team-high 33 strikeouts. Against Marist last season he struck out six en route to a 2-0 win.
Up Next... Fairfield travels to The University of Connecticut on Tuesday afternoon, and to Yale on Wednesday, before heading to LeMoyne for a MAAC series next weekend. The Yale game will be broadcast on WVOF-FM (88.5). Fans can access the game via the world wide web at www.wvof.org
