Quinnipiac, UMass Set for Non-Conference Contest

Tuesday, March 31

Amherst, MA

3:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

Massachusettes

Quinnipiac Dugout In Loss to URI (March 24, 2026 in Hamden, Conn)

Photo by: Ava Giorgi

3/30/2026 3:59:00 PM | Baseball

Quinnipiac Bobcats (11-14, 5-4 MAAC) at UMass Minutemen (5-14, 1-11 MAC)
Date: Tuesday, March 31^st
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Earl Lorden Field | Amherst, Mass.
Watch: Click Here | Live Stats: Click Here | @TheQBaseball

AMHERST, Mass. – The Quinnipiac baseball team returns to non-conference action, as they take on the UMass Minutemen in midweek action. The Bobcats and Minutemen will battle at 3 PM at Earl Lorden Field in Amherst.

LAST TIME OUT

The Bobcats won their first series of the 2026 season, sweeping the Saint Peter's Peacocks in Jersey City.
Quinnipiac exploded for 12 runs in the series opener, led by Peyton Vancas, who recorded four RBIs in the win.
In game two of the series, the Bobcats defeated the Peacocks 8-6. Andrew Rubayo earned his third win of the season after pitching 5.1 innings, allowing four earned runs, and striking out ten.
A three-run eighth inning sealed the win for the Bobcats in the series finale as Christian Smith drove in two runs in the win.
Quinnipiac improved to 5-4 in conference play after the sweep and now sits in 7^th place in the conference.

HISTORY VS. UMASS

Tuesday's matchup will mark the 18^th time the Bobcats and Minutemen will face off since March 9^th, 2002.
UMass leads the all-time series, 9-7-1.
The two teams last faced off last season and tied 7-7, with the game ending due to darkness.
Quinnipiac scored three runs in the eighth inning to knot the game up at seven. After a scoreless ninth and tenth, the game was called due to darkness.

SCOUTING THE MINUTEMEN

The UMass Minutemen hold a 5-14 overall record and a 1-11 conference record so far this season. UMass currently sits in last place in the MAC standings.
The Minutemen's only win in MAC play this season has come against Akron, 5-4, on March 14^th.
UMass has played two series against MAAC teams, sweeping Mount St. Mary's and dropping two out of three games against the Siena Saints.
Last time out, the Minutemen were swept by the Western Michigan Broncos, being outscored 22-8 in the series.
Anthony Tirado is the leading hitter for the Minutemen, holding a .359 batting average in 19 starts this season. Tirado has recorded 28 hits this season with 13 RBIs. Tirado leads the team with 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts.
Among the six different starters for the Minutemen pitching staff, Callen Powers leads the staff with a 4.17 ERA in 36.2 innings pitched. Powers has allowed 17 earned runs this season and has struck out 33 batters.

BOBCAT LEADERS (Among Players that Qualify: 2PA/G and 75% of Games Played)

Batting Average: Caden Williamson (.316)
Runs: Caden Williamson (21)
Hits: Caden Williamson (31)
Doubles: Christian Smith (10)
Triples: Seven Tied (1)
Home Runs: James Marino, Christian Smith (3)
RBIs: Alex Irizarry (18)
Stolen Bases: Chase Camac, Cole Constable, Caden Williamson (6)
ERA: Andrew Rubayo (4.33)
WHIP: Andrew Rubayo (1.27)
Wins: Andrew Rubayo (3)
Saves: Matt Alduino (3)
Innings Pitched: Andrew Rubayo (35.1)
Strikeouts: Andrew Rubayo (35)

PRESEASON ACCOLADES

The Quinnipiac Baseball team was picked to finish 3^rd in the MAAC Preseason Poll after last season ended in the MAAC Semifinal round against the Rider Broncs.
Christian Smith was named to the Preseason All-MAAC team as he returns to Hamden.
Smith finished the year with a .329 batting average in 56 contests. Smith tied for the team lead in home runs with 15 and led the Bobcats with 67 runs batted in.
Smith had a tremendous MAAC Tournament last season, finishing the week with a .375 clip (6-for-16), while driving in nine runs in the five games in Pomona, earning him a nod on the All-Tournament team.

KEY RETURNERS

The Bobcats return 19 players from last year's team, with of those players seeing game action.
Of those returners, nine are pitchers: J.C. Franconere, Sam Wright, Griffin Seibel, Mike Poncini, Matt Alduino, Nick Balcom, Andrew Rubayo, Josh Lajoie, and Mason Ulsh.
Ten position players return: Cole Constable, Kyle Garbowski, Sam Ametrano, Christian Smith, Alex Irizarry, Luke Zeisloft, James Marino, Matt Park, Ian Nilsen, and Christian Nilsen.

LOTS OF NEW FACES

Quinnipiac welcomes 16 new faces to its campus this season.
The Bobcats used the transfer portal to bring in sophomore right-handed pitcher Maddex Labuda (Liberty), junior outfield/first baseman Jack Balcer (Widener), senior right-handed pitcher James Pazdera, and graduate outfielder Brendan Edvardsen (AIC).
Quinnipiac also brought in 12 first years, with six being pitchers and six being position players, Peyton Vancas (Pleasant Gap, Pa.), Timothy Park (Bridgewater, NJ.), Chase Camac (Northfield, NJ.), Caden Williamson (Broomfield, Co.), Teagan Beames (New Fairfield, Conn.), Brayden Hromada (Center Moriches, NY.), Joseph Hiller (Center Moriches, NY.), Kevin Rusinak (Manalapan, NJ.), Ethan Freed (Limerick, Pa.), Frank Orrei (Verona, NJ.), Langdon Hazen (Underhill, VT.), and Jacob Belecky (Komoka, Ontario, Canada).

NEXT TIME OUT

The Bobcats return to Hamden this weekend, hosting the Niagara Purple Eagles for a three-game series (April 2-4).

For more information on the Quinnipiac baseball team, visit gobobcats.com/baseball and follow the team on Twitter/X, @TheQBaseball, and Instagram, @TheQBaseball.