May 4, 2004
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Fairfield University baseball team hosts Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) leader LeMoyne College this weekend at Alumni Diamond, with a doubleheader beginning on Saturday afternoon, at 12 p.m.
Fairfield enters the game with a 14-20 overall record, and a 9-9 mark in the MAAC, while the Dolphins comes to the North Benson Road campus with a 24-15 overall record, and a 16-2 mark in the MAAC.
All-Time vs. LeMoyne... Fairfield and LeMoyne have met 20 previous times, and the Dolphins hold a 14-6 edge in the series. LeMoyne has won the last seven meetings.
Quick Hits... This weekend's series will match two of the top pitching staffs in the MAAC. LeMoyne has the lowest ERA in the conference with a 3.86, while Fairfield is second with a 4.61 ERA after last weekend ... Fairfield has allowed the fewest runs in the MAAC with 184, and LeMoyne follows with 198 ... The Dolphins have allowed the fewest earned runs (138), while the Stags follow with 143 ... Fairfield also has the fewest walks (85), and homeruns (14) in the conference ... Five of the top pitchers in the MAAC look to make an appearance in the series, LeMoyne's Alan Drechsler is 6-0 with a 2.38 ERA in 45.1 innings of work. Matt Scherer is 6-2 with a 2.66 ERA and 57 strikeouts, and Bobby Blevins is 3-3 with a 2.77 ERA ... Fairfield's senior Tom Maisano is 5-1 with a 2.96 ERA in 54.2 innings of work and he has struck out 40 hitters. Junior Tim Dugan leads the Stags with 46 strikeouts and has a 2.98 ERA despite a hard-luck 2-6 record. Freshman Ed Kamintzky has been the ace out of the bullpen for the Stags this season, as he is 4-0 with one save, and 24 strikeouts in 25.1 innings of work ... Fairfield took two-of-three at Iona last weekend, while the Dolphins took two-of-three against Marist in Syracuse last weekend ... Fairfield senior Antuan Barnett leads the MAAC with four triples, and fellow classmate Nick Hudyma is third in the MAAC in stolen bases with 16. Kyle Brown of LeMoyne leads the conference with 37 swipes ... In the last series against Iona, Barnett hit .364 with two runs batted in ... Kamintzky lowered his ERA to 2.49 after allowing one earned run in four innings of work against the Gaels ... Maisano moved into sole possession of third place on the school's all-time strikeout list with 180 passing Steve Becker (1988-91) ... He is two wins away from moving into a three-way tie for fourth place on the school's all-time win list. The Long Island native has 14 victories for the Red and White, and is two wins away from tying three players for fourth place for wins in a season ... The Fairfield pitching staff has recorded 208 strikeouts this season ...
Around the MAAC... Iona travels to Canisius, Rider hosts Manhattan, Marist heads to Niagara, and Siena hosts Saint Peter's.
Looking Ahead... Sunday on Mother's Day, Fairfield will honor its 10 graduating seniors in a short ceremony before the final game of the series. Hudyma, Sal Mancuso, Maisano, Matt Young, Andy Lynn, Pablo Tamayo, Patrick Quinn, Barnett, Mike Wray, and Jim Sheridan make up the class of 2004 for the Stags.
