Baseball Opens Atlantic 10 Schedule at Richmond This Weekend

University of Massachusetts Baseball Game Notes
Games 11-13	Massachusetts (6-4 overall, 0-0 Atlantic 10) at Richmond (12-8 overall, 0-0 Atlantic 10)
Date \| Time	Fri., March 23-Sun., March 25 \| 3 p.m./1 p.m./Noon
Location \| Weather	Richmond, Va. (Pitt Field) Friday: 50 Degrees, Partly Cloudy, Chance of Rain: 0% Saturday: 48 Degrees, Mostly Cloudy, Chance of Rain: 20% Sunday: 46 Degrees, AM Clouds, Chance of Rain: 20%
Series History	Richmond leads, 25-13 Last Meeting: Massachusetts 8, Richmond 3 \| May 8, 2016
Live Video	Atlantic 10 Network
Live Statistics	Stat Broadcast Friday \| Saturday \| Sunday
Twitter	@UMassBaseball \| @UMassAthletics
Instagram	UMass Baseball \| UMass Athletics
Probable Starters	Massachusetts RHP Justin Lasko (1-0, 1.17 ERA), LHP Brooks Knapek (1-2, 7.20 ERA), RHP Kevin Hassett (0-1, 9.82 ERA) Richmond RHP Tim Miller (2-2, 3.24 ERA), RHP Aaron Winkler (2-1, 4.57 ERA), RHP Robbie Baker (1-1, 4.64 ERA)
Season Statistics	Massachusetts \| Richmond

Batting Practice
University of Massachusetts baseball begins the 2018 Atlantic 10 schedule on Fri., March 23 as the Minutemen begin a three-game series at conference foe Richmond. The teams will rematch on Sat., March 24 before concluding the weekend on Sun., March 25. First pitch in all three games is scheduled for 3 p.m., 1 p.m. and noon, respectively at Pitt Field.

Fans unable to make it to Richmond can follow along with live streaming video of all three games on the Atlantic 10 Network as well as live stats on StatBroadcast.

Recap in a Minute
Massachusetts went 5-1 during its spring break trip last week, taking a 4-2 victory over Central Connecticut (March 11) before sweeping a three-game set against Patriot League preseason favorite Bucknell (March 12-14) in Florida and splitting a pair with Bradley (March 16-17). In Florida, Ryan Lever started all five games and hit .476 with five RBI, while Connor Smith had four doubles, including three in the finale of the Bucknell series.

Justin Lasko shined on the rubber on Fri., March 16 in a 6-2 win over Bradley, going six shutout innings during which he struck out five and allowed just four hits, two of which were in the first inning.

Still Have Your Tape Deck?
With the Florida trip in the books, the Minutemen are off to their best 10-game start since the 1997 season. That year, the Maroon and White went 7-3 to open up the campaign before winning the Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship and posting a runner-up finish in the conference tournament. In the first 10 games, former Minuteman Muchie Dagliere hit .385 with 5 doubles and 15 RBI, while Doug Clark hit safely in all 10.

Scouting Richmond
The Spiders are winners of four in a row entering the series with UMass, most recently using a three-run sixth inning to cement a 7-3 victory over Princeton on Mon., March 19. Richmond was then scheduled to play James Madison on Wed., March 21, but that contest was cancelled due to inclement weather expected across Virginia.

Vinny Capra has started all 20 games at shortstop and put together a .347 batting average with five doubles, one home run and 12 RBIs. Layne Looney has three saves and a 1.86 ERA in 10 relief appearances.

Tim Miller, Friday's probable arm, tossed six shutout innings in his most recent appearance against Lehigh (March 16) where the redshirt freshman struck out four and surrendered just three hits en route to the win.

The All-Time Series With Richmond
Historically Richmond has had UMass' number, owning a 25-13 all-time record against the Minutemen. The sides most recently met during the 2016 season, with the Minutemen claiming the finale of the three-game series by an 8-3 score at Pitt Field.

Then-freshman Justin Lasko started the middle game of that series on May 7, 2016, going eight innings and allowing just two runs but received a no-decision. Ryan Lever, also a freshman at that point, hit .417 during the weekend and smacked a pair of doubles.

UMass in the Atlantic 10 Ranks
Entering Friday's game, the Minutemen find themselves at or near the top of the Atlantic 10 in multiple statistical categories. Massachusetts boasts the league's top team batting average (.281), averages 6.4 runs scored per game and has compiled a .386 on base percentage, the latter two of which rank second in the conference.

Individually, Ryan Lever's .386 average sits second in the A-10 behind George Mason's Logan Driscoll (.465), as does Justin Lasko's ERA of 1.17. Lasko trails only Brian Weissert of Fordham (0.47), who has surrendered just one run in 19.1 innings of work.

A 'Hart' Of Gold
Eddy Hart has reached base safely for the Minutemen in all 10 games this season, as well as the final six during his freshman campaign a year ago. His .350 batting average ranks second on the team, just short of Ryan Lever (.386) while four doubles for the Middleboro, Massachusetts product is narrowly topped by Connor Smith's five two-baggers.

You Have Reached Your Destination
In addition to Eddy Hart's reached base streak, he and Ryan Lever have each recorded a hit in nine straight games. Lever (9) and Alec Norton (5) also continue to push forward their respective reached base streaks.

Call Them The Comeback Kids
In the Bucknell sweep from March 12-14, Massachusetts was forced to come from behind in each of the three matchups. The last time the Minutemen eliminated consecutive deficits en route to a three-game series sweep was on May 8 and May 9, 2001, when UMass claimed both doubleheader tilts against Saint Joseph's (13-8 and 9-5) before posting an 11-9 triumph to close the weekend.

That year the Maroon and White won the Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship after going 16-6 in the league, ultimately finishing the campaign with an overall record of 27-19.

Not To Be Confused With Brothers Osborne
The Minuteman pitching staff features one set of twin brothers in sophomores Brooks Knapek and Carter Knapek. The duo threw back-to-back in a win over Central Connecticut on Sun., March 11, with Brooks earning the win after four no-hit innings of relief, during which he struck out four and surrendered just one walk. Carter then entered for the ninth and posted his first career save. That capped a strong day on the mound for the Minutemen as Justin Lasko started on the hill, striking out five over his four innings of work.

Welcome Back, Coach
A former UMass infielder and captain, head coach Matt Reynolds returns to the Pioneer Valley after three years (2014-17) guiding Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland and seven seasons as an assistant coach at Navy (2007-14).

Prior to Navy, Reynolds served as a graduate assistant under Mike Stone at UMass for three seasons (2005-07). He played his final two collegiate seasons in Amherst after transferring from the University of Maine. He earned Atlantic 10 All-Tournament Team honors in 2003 and was named the Minutemen's Most Valuable Player the following year.

All Across The Map
Throughout the 2018 campaign, the Minutemen will play at least one game in seven different states: Florida, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, New York, Missouri and Pennsylvania.

On Deck
UMass heads west for a Tues., March 27 matchup at America East foe Albany, with first pitch slated for 3 p.m.

Follow UMass Baseball
Follow UMass baseball on Twitter (@UMassBaseball), Instagram (UMassBaseball) and Facebook (UMass Baseball) for the latest news and updates around the team.

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Baseball Opens Atlantic 10 Schedule at Richmond This Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Eddy Hart

Kevin Hassett

Brooks Knapek

Carter Knapek

Justin Lasko

Ryan Lever

Alec Norton

Connor Smith

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