Baseball Returns to Hamden for MAAC Series Against Niagara

Thursday, April 2

Hamden, Conn.

3:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

Niagara

Maddex Labuda Pitching Against URI in Hamden, Conn.

Photo by: Quinnipiac Athletics

Baseball Returns to Hamden for MAAC Series Against Niagara

4/1/2026 11:20:00 AM | Baseball

Quinnipiac Bobcats (12-14, 5-4 MAAC) vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (9-12, 5-4 MAAC)
Date: Thursday, April 2^nd
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Quinnipiac Baseball Field | Hamden, Conn.
Watch: Click Here | Live Stats: Click Here | @TheQBaseball

Quinnipiac Bobcats vs. Niagara Purple Eagles
Date: Friday, April 3^rd
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Quinnipiac Baseball Field | Hamden, Conn.
Watch: Click Here | Live Stats: Click Here | @TheQBaseball

Quinnipiac Bobcats vs. Niagara Purple Eagles
Date: Saturday, April 4^th
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Quinnipiac Baseball Field | Hamden, Conn.
Watch: Click Here | Live Stats: Click Here | @TheQBaseball

HAMDEN, Conn. – The Quinnipiac baseball team will take its five-game winning streak back to Hamden as they return to MAAC play, hosting the Niagara Purple Eagles for a three-game series.

Quinnipiac and Niagara will begin their series on Thursday, April 2^nd, with the first pitch slated for 3 PM. Friday's first pitch is slated for 1 PM, while the series finale is slated for noon.

WEEKLY AWARDS

Christian Smith was named the MAAC Player of the Week after hitting .478 across five games last week. Smith finished the week with 11 hits, four doubles, and three home runs, while driving in 10 RBIs.
After a solid start against UConn, Joseph Hiller earned MAAC Rookie of the Week Honors. Hiller went 4.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits, and striking out five in the start against the Huskies.

LAST TIME OUT

The Bobcats extended their win streak to five games as they defeated the UMass Minutemen, 17-6, on Tuesday afternoon in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Quinnipiac took control of the game from the jump, scoring four runs in the first inning. Jack Balcer got the scoring started with a two-run single with no outs in the first.
QU added four more in the third inning and three in the fourth as they opened an 11-0 lead.
UMass scratched across a few runs, but it wasn't enough as Quinnipiac routed the Minutemen, 17-6.

HISTORY VS. NIAGARA

Thursday's matchup will mark the 34^th time the Bobcats and Purple Eagles will face off since April 6^th, 2014.
Niagara leads the all-time series, 17-16.
Last season, the Bobcats took all four meetings against Niagara. After sweeping the regular season series, the Bobcats defeated the Purple Eagles 10-5 in Pomona, New York, in the single-elimination portion of last season's MAAC Tournament.
This series marks the first time the Bobcats and Purple Eagles will play in Hamden since the 2018 season.

SCOUTING THE PURPLE EAGLES

The Niagara Purple Eagles currently have a 9-12 overall record and a 5-4 mark in MAAC play. Niagara is currently sixth in the MAAC standings and is tied with Quinnipiac with a 5-4 conference record.
During conference play, Niagara has the 6^th best offense (.272 batting average) in the conference and the 5^th best pitching (4.17 ERA). Niagara is 12^th in the conference in runs scored (32) and 2^nd in the MAAC in fewest runs given up (37) throughout conference play.
The Purple Eagles have won two conference series so far this season, while dropping their first MAAC series of the season to Merrimack.
Last time out, the Purple Eagles took two out of three games against the Iona Gaels at Bobo Field on the campus of Niagara University.
Niagara took games one and three by a final score of 3-2, but dropped the middle game, 9-3. Niagara was outscored 13-9, despite taking the series from the Gaels.
Noah Konings leads the Niagara offense with a .347 batting average in 21 starts so far this season. Konings holds an .812 OPS and a .380 on-base percentage this year. The junior has driven in 11 RBIs and has scored 16 runs for the Purple Eagles.
Among the five different starters for the Niagara pitching staff, Nate Bennett holds the team's best ERA, with a 1.80 earned run average in five starts this season. Bennett has pitched 25.0 innings, allowing six runs on 17 hits and striking out 32, while boasting a 2-0 record.

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

Batting Average: Caden Williamson (.324)
Runs: Caden Williamson (23)
Hits: Caden Williamson (33)
Doubles: Christian Smith (10)
Triples: Seven Tied (1)
Home Runs: James Marino, Christian Smith (4)
RBIs: Alex Irizarry, James Marino (19)
Stolen Bases: Caden Williamson (7)
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 will make the return trip to Kingston, Rhode Island, to take on the URI Rams on Wednesday, April 8^th.

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