University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Take On Duquesne This Weekend
March 21, 2008 | Baseball
March 21, 2008
AMHERST, Mass. - Despite a one-day delay due to weather, the UMass (2-4) and Duquesne (3-10) baseball teams will begin Atlantic 10 play on Friday in a doubleheader slated to begin at noon. The teams will close out the three-game series on Saturday with a noon contest. The series has been moved to the artificial turf field on the campus of Seton Hill University in nearby Greensburg, Pa.
The Minutemen are in the midst of a season-opening 10-game road trip that saw them open the season by dropping three at #1 Arizona State before taking two out of three from Army in Tampa last weekend. After the Duquesne series, they close out the road swing with a single game at UConn on Monday at 3 p.m. UMass' home-opener is set for Tuesday when they host Sacred Heart at 3 p.m. on Earl Lorden Field.
In the first six games this season, the UMass offense has been clicking for the most part, with five players currently hitting above .300. Sophomore Brian Baudinet, who has taken over the leadoff spot, leads the way with a .389 (7-18) mark and has walked six times to lead the club with a .520 OBP and has stolen three bases. Last season's top hitter, Adam Tempesta, has picked up right where he left off in 2007, posting a .381 (8-21) average thus far and is tied with Ryan Franczek for the team-lead in runs with six. Sophomore outfielder Mike Donato is hitting .350 (7-20) and has been the top run-producer with six RBI.
UMass' pitching staff has received a huge lift from a group of newcomers that have posted the team's top four ERA's so far this season. Leading the way has been sophomore transfer Bryan Leigh. He is 1-0 this season with a 1.98 ERA. He has struck out 11 batters in 13 2/3 innings of work, highlighted by his eight inning, one hit allowed performance vs. Army last weekend. Another transfer, junior left-hander Mitchell Clegg, has a 2.61 ERA in 10 1/3 innings. The pair has combined to hold the opposition to a .186 batting average.
Duquesne is led by junior catcher Mike Carroll. He is leading the team with .379 batting average, is slugging .517, and has driven in seven runs in 11 games played. First baseman Aaron Janusey is hitting at a .295 clip and has a team-leading nine RBI. On the mound, righty Gary Pierpont has been the top pitcher, going 0-2 despite a 3.93 ERA and a .250 batting average against.
This will be the 21st time the Minutemen and Dukes have met in a series that dates back to 1994, with Duquesne holding the slight edge, 11-9. The teams did not meet in the 2007 season. The last time they did play, in April, 2006, UMass took two of three from the Dukes, outscoring them, 24-18. After splitting a doubleheader by scores of 7-11 and 9-6, UMass routed Duquesne in the finale, 8-1. Current Minutemen Ryan Franczek, Adam Tempesta, Bryan Garrity, and Jim Macdonald combined to go 10-17 that day with six RBI.
Free live stats of all three games will be available on Gametracker at UMassAthletics.com.
