SCSU PREPARES FOR FIVE GAMES THIS WEEK
The Southern Connecticut State University baseball team tackles five games this week against Post University, the University of New Haven and American International. The Owls face Post on Monday evening at Naugatuck High School before welcoming cross-town foe New Haven to The Ballpark at SCSU for a Southwest Division clash on Wednesday. Southern Connecticut wraps up the weekend with a three-game road series against American International.
 
SOUTHWEST DIVISON STANDINGS
SCHOOL                        NE-10                        OVERALL
1. Pace                                9-4            0.692            24-16
2. Saint Rose                       6-3            0.667            15-13
3. Adelphi                            8-5            0.615            20-19
4. Le Moyne                        4-6            0.400            21-14
5. New Haven                     4-6            0.400            13-16
6. American Int'l                  4-7            0.364            10-29
7. So. Connecticut              3-7            0.300            10-22-1
 
ALL-TIME VS. POST
At the beginning of the season, Southern Connecticut led the all-time series against Post with an 8-2-1 record. Following the earlier win over the Eagles this season, the all-time series record is now 9-2-1.
 
LAST TIME VS. POST
With no outs and bases loaded, redshirt sophomore Ryan Kaplan would drive in senior Jake Paul in the bottom of the 10th for the SCSU baseball team to defeat Post University, 4-3, in a non-conference battle.
 
SCOUTING POST

• The Eagles enter Monday nights game with an overall record of 13-27 while coming off back-to-back splits against Caldwell and Wilmington.
• Don Walsh leads the team in five difference categories such as batting average (.313), hits (47), doubles (12), home runs (9) and RBI (25).
• Post bullpen has a current ERA of 6.12 while recording a batting average against of .282.
• As a team, Post has a stat line at the plate of .226 batting average / .339 slugging percentage / .296 on-base percentage.

 
ALL-TIME VS. NEW HAVEN
At the beginning of the season, New Haven held a 46-34 edge over Southern Connecticut in the all-time series. Following a win and a loss for the Owls, the all-time series record is now 47-35, in favor of the Chargers.
 
LAST TIME VS. NEW HAVEN

• Game One: Down 2-0 entering the bottom of the second, the baseball team rallied together six runs on three hits en route to the Owls 6-4 win over Southwest Division foe New Haven.
• Game Two: Southern Connecticut lost to New Haven by the score of 6-0.

 
SCOUTING NEW HAVEN

• The Chargers (13-16 and 4-6) face Saint Anselm College on Monday night before facing Southern Connecticut on Wednesday.
• New Haven is currently on a four-game losing streak and its last win came on April 16 against Caldwell.
• N. Perrelli ranks fifth in the Northeast-10 Conference with a .366 batting average.
• New Haven's bullpen has a current ERA of 4.04 while ranking first in the league with 167 strikeouts and a batting average against of .251.
• As a team, New Haven has a stat line of .268 batting average / .347 on-base percentage / .361 slugging percentage.

 
ALL-TIME VS. AIC
American International leads the all-time series against Southern Connecticut, 45-28.
 
LAST TIME VS. AIC
Southern Connecticut went 2-1 last season against American International.
Game 1 Score: SCSU 15, AIC 11
Game 2 Score: AIC 4, SCSU 1
Game 3 Score: SCSU 1, AIC 0
 
SCOUTING AIC

• American International currently has an overall record of 10-29 and 4-7 in the Southwest Division and is coming off a 2-1 series win over Le Moyne.
• As a team, the Yellow Jackets rank third in the league in hit by pitches (48), stolen bases (72) and caught stealing (21).
• The Yellow Jackets' bullpen has an ERA of 6.42 while posting a .329 batting average against.
• C. Starcun leads the Yellow Jackets at the plate with a .322 batting average.

 
LAST WEEK RECAP
Southern Connecticut posted a 1-2 record last week as the Owls picked up an 8-6 home win against Adelphi, but lost two straight to Southern New Hampshire, 11-0 and 7-5.
 
STATS VS. ADELPHI

• Senior Jason Harper picked up the crucial "W" and improves his record to 4-2 on the mound. Harper allowed two runs (all earned) on five hits while striking out two and walking two batters over seven innings of pitching.
• Junior McNeill Finnegan was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI while Jake Lieberman, Jake Paul, Mike DeMartino collected two hits apiece in the win.
• Senior Jake DeRosa collected a team-high three RBI while going 1-for-3 at the plate.

 
STATS VS. SNHU – GAME ONE

• Freshman Brandon Rentas picked up the loss for the Owls and is now 2-4 on the year. Over 6.2 innings, Rentas allowed 11 hits, eight runs (four earned) and four strikeouts.
• Senior Jake Paul went 2-for-3 at the plate while freshman Mike DeMartino and redshirt freshman Nick Lamberti collected a hit apiece.

 
STATS VS. SNHU – GAME TWO

• Sophomore Christopher Ramos collected the loss on the mound for the Owls as he recorded a stat line of three hits, three runs, a walk and eight strikeouts over 4.0 innings.
• Redshirt sophomore Ryan Kaplan led the Owls at the plate after going 2-for-3 with a run while Hart went 1-for-4 with a run and a team-high four RBI.

 
NE-10 PRESEASON RANKINGS
The Southern Connecticut State University baseball team, led by 14-year head coach Tim Shea, was selected to finish fourth in the Southwest Division of the Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Southwest Division
1. New Haven - 77 (6)
2. Pace - 65 (3)
3. Adelphi - 62 (1)
4. So. Connecticut - 58 (3)
5. Le Moyne - 52 (2)
6. American Int'l - 38
7. Saint Rose - 19
() - first place votes
 
TRI-CAPTAIN ANNOUNCEMENT
Southern Connecticut State University baseball coach Tim Shea had announced that junior's Jake Lieberman, Jake DeRosa and Cole Bryant will serve as team captains for the upcoming 2016 season.
 
LOOKING BACK AT LAST SEASON
The baseball team finished the 2014-15 season with an overall record of 18-19. The Owls were selected to finish first in the Southwest Division preseason poll. Southern Connecticut also ranked as high as No. 8 in the regional polls last season.
 
WELCOME BACK
Southern Connecticut returns 18 players from last year's squad - Jake Paul, Ryan Kaplan, Jake Lieberman, Ethan Joyce, Joe Uccello, Alex Wichmann, Gary Flowers, Jake DeRosa, Jason Harper, McNeill Finnegan, Greg Zullo, Austin Brochu, Mike Giordano, Griffin Bremer, Jordan Picini, Mike Yerina, Jake Santamaria and Cole Bryant.
 
NEWCOMERS
Southern Connecticut welcomes Nick Lamberti, Christopher Ramos, Brandon Rentas, Jim Palmer, Jordan Hamler, Tyler Criscuolo, Kyle Hart, Mike DeMartino, Shawn Urbano and Quantique White to the team.
 
FOUR OWLS COLLECT ALL-CONFERENCE HONOR
Four members, including Nick Baviello, Matt Burns, AJ Turnier and Griffin Bremer have been named to the Northeast-10 All-Conference Team.
 
EXCELLING IN THE CLASSROOM
Southern Connecticut had 10 student-athletes selected to the Northeast-10 Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll for their work in the classroom during the 2014-15 academic year.
 
UP NEXT
The Owls are back in action on May 3 at Adelphi University. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. in Garden City, N.Y.