QU Baseball Wraps Up Regular Season with Four Game Series with NJIT
5/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Quinnipiac University Bobcats (25-23, 15-9 MAAC) vs.
New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders (22-21-1)
QU Baseball Field - Hamden, Conn.
May 15, 2015 - 12 P.M.
Live Stats
Live Video
Thomas Jankins (5-5, 3.28 ERA) vs. Ian Bentley (7-3, 3.07 ERA)
May 15, 2015 - 3 P.M.
Live Stats
Live Video
Robert Hitt (5-3, 3.75 ERA) vs. Sean Lubreski (4-4, 4.32 ERA)
May 16, 2015 - 12 P.M.
Live Stats
Live Video
Wyatt Hamilton (1-3, 7.71 ERA) vs. Johnny Maltesta (5-4, 3.21 ERA)
May 16, 2015 - 3 P.M.
Live Stats
Live Video
Justin Thomas (4-2, 4.53 ERA) vs. TBA
The Final Countdown
The Quinnipiac baseball team returns home for its final regular season weekend of the season as it hosts the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders in a four game series with doubleheaders scheduled for Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 beginning at 12 P.M. on each day.
Scouting the Highlanders
NJIT comes into this weekend's regular season finale with a 22-21-1 record and on a two game losing streak after dropping the second doubleheader with the Manhattan Jaspers last weekend with 2-1 and 11-1 losses. As a team, the Highlanders are batting .282, led by Ed Charlton with a .20 batting average. Charlton also leads the team in home runs (8), hits (56), runs (42), RBIs (32), slugging percentage (.554) and is second on the team in doubles (13), walks (19) and stolen bases (14). Jesse Uttendorfer is batting .317 with 52 hits and leads the team with 15 stolen bases. Four different Highlanders are batting over .300. Starting pitcher Ian Bentley has been the ace of the pitching staff going 7-3 with a 3.07 ERA and six complete games. The right-hander has tossed 70 1/3 innings with 29 runs allowed on 75 hits with 66 strikeouts. Johnny Malatesta is 5-4 with a 3.21 ERA while Sean Lubreski is 4-4 with a 4.32 ERA and Joe Fasano is 3-3 with a 7.26 ERA. Tyler Kapp has been the dominant closer for the Highlanders, going 1-1 with seven saves and a 3.27 ERA. He has struck out 20 batters in 33 innings.
Last Time Out
The Bobcats won the series finale with the Rider Broncs on Sunday after dropping Saturday's doubleheader in a series of the top two teams in the MAAC. Quinnipiac won Sunday's matchup 9-7 after falling 4-2 and 9-0 on Saturday.
Multimedia
This weekend's doubleheader with the Highlanders will have every game streamed with free video over via QuinnipiacBobcats.com. Live Stats of all four games will also be available.
Senior Day Celebrations
The Bobcats will honor six seniors on Saturday prior to the first pitch of the final doubleheader of the regular season. Seniors Scott Donaghue (Marlboro, New Jersey), Vincent Guglietti (East Haven, Connecticut), Dale Long (Saratoga Springs, New York), Matthew Lorenzetti (Marlboro, New Jersey), Brian Ruditys (Boothwyn, Pennsylvania) and Rob Pescitelli (West Islip, New York) will all be honored by Quinnipiac.
Scott Donaghue
Donaghue has been a consistent contributor for all four years of his career compiling a .259 batting average and 164 hits, which rank tied for 21st all-time in program history and 19th in Quinnipiac's Division I history. Donaghue is also 20th on the all-time list and 16th on the Division I program list with 33 career doubles and 21st on the all-time list and 14th on the Division I program list with 81 career RBIs. This season, Donaghue Is having a career season as he has a career-high .291 batting average, .372 on base percentage, 29 runs scored and four stolen bases. He also is nearing career-highs in hits with 50, doubles with 10 and walks with 20.
Vincent Guglietti
Guglietti will go down as one of the most prolific baseball players in Quinnipiac baseball history. He has been named All-NEC Second Team as a DH in his freshman season and was named All-MAAC Second Team at First Base as a junior. For the second straight season, Guglietti has continuously improved his numbers. This year, Guglietti is batting .322 with a .405 on base percentage and .579 slugging percentage. Guglietti also leads the team in home runs with nine, RBIs with 38, and walks with 22. Guglietti is also second on the team with 37 runs scored, 13 doubles and a .405 on base percentage. Guglietti has a career .306 batting average with 218 hits, 110 runs scored, 47 doubles, 17 home runs, 123 RBIs and 71 walks. Guglietti's 218 hits are fourth in the Quinnipiac all-time and Division I record books. Guglietti is also tied for first in program history with 47 doubles, seventh in program history and fourth in the program's division history with 123 RBIs and his 110 runs scored are 17th in program history and 10th in the program's Division I history.
Dale Long
Long has been one of the most dedicated members of the Bobcats baseball team throughout his four year career. He was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team as a junior, the team's first season in the MAAC.
Matthew Lorenzetti
Lorenzetti has seen increased playing time since joining the Bobcats as a freshman during the 2011-12 season. This season, Lorenzetti earned Senior Male Scholar Athlete Honors for his 3.99 GPA. As a junior, Lorenzetti was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team. This season, Lorenzetti is 2-0 with one save and a 3.99 ERA as he leads the team and is second in the conference in appearances with 23. He has pitched 29 1/3 innings with a career-high 26 strikeouts. In his career, Lorenzetti is 3-5 with a save and has struck out 56 batters in 88 1/3 innings.
Brian Ruditys
Ruditys has made his mark on the Quinnipiac baseball program as he has appeared in at least 30 games in every season during his career. Ruditys has compiled 130 hits, which is 39th in program history and 28th in the program's Division I history. He has averaged over 30 hits, nearly 15 runs and 11 RBIs per season during his four year career.
Rob Pescitelli
Pescitelli will be graduating this spring but will return for his final season of eligibility next season after missing his freshman season. As a junior, Pescitelli was named to the All-MAAC Academic Team and had a breakout offensive season with a three doubles, six triples, three home runs and 20 runs scored. Pescitelli also stole eight bases and drove in 18 RBIs. As a redshirt-freshman in 2012-13, Pescitelli had eight hits, four of which were home runs.
In the Playoffs
Quinnipiac has guaranteed its second consecutive postseason appearance with a sweep of Niagara two weekends ago. After taking one game against Rider, the Bobcats can finish as high as second in the conference regular season standings. Monmouth and Canisius are trailing the Bobcats by a pair of games in a third place tie. The only way the Bobcats can drop below second place is if either Monmouth or Canisius sweep this weekend.
The Big Show
Ben Gibson (Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts) launched two home runs for his first career multi-home run game on Sunday, May 10 at Rider. Gibson was 2 for 4 with a pair of solo home runs on his way to a 3 for 8 week in which led the Bobcats in batting average (.375), on base percentage (.545), slugging percentage (1.125), home runs and walks (3).
Don'tcha Like Him
Donaghue led the Bobcats with four hits this past weekend against Rider, going 4 for 12 and was second on the team with a .333 batting average. Donaghue also hit one of the Bobcats two triples and one of the team's five home runs. Donaghue's best game of the weekend came on Sunday when he was 3 for 5 with his triple, two runs scored and two RBIs.
Center of Attention
Mike Palladino (Rockville Centre, New York) reached base for his 28th consecutive game after reaching in all three games against the Broncs. Palladino was 3 for 9 in the series with three runs scored, three walks and a pair of stolen bases. Palladino now leads the Bobcats and is tied for the lead in the MAAC with 22 stolen bases. His 22 stolen bases are also fourth in Quinnipiac single-season program history, one away from tying Bill Hanley '67 for third.
Crushing the Ball
Guglietti continued to crush the ball this season as he belted his ninth home run of the season and 17th of his career. His ninth home run more than doubled his home run total from the first three seasons combined in which he hit eight home runs. Guglietti's 17 career home runs ranked 15th in program history and 10th in the program's Division I history. He is also tied for second in the MAAC this season with preseason player of the year Connor Panas with nine home runs, only trailing Brett Siddall's 11.
What a Relief
Robert Hitt (Suffield, Connecticut) pitched a crucial five innings of relief for the Bobcats in their 9-7 come-from-behind win over Rider on Sunday afternoon. Hitt replaced starting pitcher Justin Thomas (Enfield, Connecticut) in the third inning, and scattered five hits over five innings allowing just one run and striking out four. Gregory Egan (Seldon, New York) pitched two innings for his fifth save of the season, allowing just one run as he struck out three of the seven batters he faced.
Mr. Steal Yo' Base
Quinnipiac is the only team in the MAAC with two baserunners to have a total of 20 or more stolen bases. Palladino leads the team and is tied for the conference lead with 22 stolen bases while Matthew Batten (Shelton, Connecticut) is second on the team in third in the conference with 20 stolen bases. As a team, the Bobcats are second in the conference with 71 stolen bases.
Orange Julius
Julius Saporito (Manalapan, New Jersey) continued to showcase his power this season as he hit his third home run of the season on Sunday. Saporito is third on the team in home runs with three, two of which have come during conference play.
On Deck
The Bobcats will begin the MAAC Playoffs following the final weekend of the regular season. Their first game time and matchup are still to be determined. If the Bobcats hold on to their No. 2 seed, they will play Thursday, May 21 at 12 P.M. If the Bobcats drop to the No. 3 seed they will play against the No. 6 seed at 12 P.M. or if the Bobcats drop to the No. 4 seed they will face the No. 5 seed at 3:30 P.M.
