Baseball Opens 2015 Campaign in Florida Against Brandeis and Alma at RussMatt Invitational

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- St. Joseph's kicks off their 2015 baseball season when they travel to the Sunshine State to take part in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. They will take on Brandeis in a single game Thursday, then will face them again Friday in a doubleheader. They will cap off the trip with a twin bill against Alma College on Saturday.

Game Information

Thursday, February 19
1:00 p.m. – vs. Brandeis
@ Chain of Lakes Park Stadium (Winter Haven, Fla.)

Friday, February 20
12:00 p.m. - vs. Brandeis (DH)
@ Lake Myrtle Park (Auburndale, Fla.)

Saturday, February 21
11:00 a.m. - vs. Alma (DH)
@ Lake Myrtle Park (Auburndale, Fla.)

Team Links

St. Joseph's (Bklyn): Roster | Schedule | Statistics 
Brandeis: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Alma: Roster | Schedule | Statistics

Quick Hits

• St. Joseph's looks to improve on their 2014 season, where they had their most successful campaign. They went 29-11 and capped it off with an opening-round victory in the USCAA Small College World Series against Penn State-Greater Allegheny, their first postseason win in program history.
• The Bears will open their first season under Jerry Sidman, who was elevated to head coach in the offseason, becoming the program's third head coach.
• This is the second time the Bears had taken part of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, with the team grabbing one victory against Maritime in 2014.
• The Bears are searching for their first win against either program after coming up short against both in 2014's Invitational.
• Seniors Thomas McKenna, a D3Baseball All-New York Region Second Team honoree, and Chris Cutrone, the 2014 AD3I Pitcher of the Year and USCAA Second Team All-American, will look to lead the squad that returns seven starters and five new freshman.

All-Time Series

The Bears are 0-2 against Alma overall, both losses coming in a doubleheader sweep during last year's RussMatt Invitational on February 23rd, 2014.

Against Brandeis, St. Joseph's has a 0-1 record, losing a 10-6 decision on February 21st, 2014.

The Bear Facts

St. Joseph's comes into the 2015 season with a goal of returning to the USCAA Small College World Series for the third straight year after compiling a 29-11 record while winning a playoff game for the first time in school history.

St. Joseph's bring back senior leftfielder and D3Baseball.com All-New York Region Second Team selection Thomas McKenna (Bellerose, N.Y./St. Francis Prep), who hit .367 with a team-high 46 runs scored and 51 hits in 139 at bats. He also drove in 31 RBI along with a team-high 20 stolen bases.

Chris Cutrone (Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees) comes into this season as a dual threat at the plate and on the mound. Last season, the USCAA Second Team All-American and AD3I Pitcher of the Year finished the season with an 8-2 record on the mound with a 3.01 ERA in 71 2/3 innings with six complete games and a team-best 53 strikeouts. While playing second base, Cutrone hit.327, including setting a school record reaching base safely in 29 straight games, along with 29 runs scored and 24 RBI.

Two freshmen had big production in their first season in a Bear uniform, and will look to improve on their play as sophomores. AD3I Rookie of the Year Nicholas LoPrinzi (Howard Beach, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) was third on the team with a .357 batting average along with 23 runs scored and 29 RBI at third base. Shortstop Francis Rapp (Baldwin, N.Y./Oceanside) hit. 342 and drove in 23 runs and scored 39 times to earn a spot on the AD3I First Team All-Independent.

Judging Brandeis

Brandeis comes into 2015 after a 13-20 record last season in the University Athletic Association (UAA). The Judges bring back their leading run producer in infielder Tom McCarthy, who led the team with 19 RBI and 14 runs scored to go along with a .304 batting average.

Kyle Brenner secured a team-best four wins on the mound along with 58 strikeouts and a 2.98 earned run average. The senior also hit .286 playing first base while leading the team with eight doubles, Junior Elio Fernandez won two games and struck out 21 batters in 51 1/3 innings.

Last Time Out vs. Brandeis

St. Joseph's fell to Brandeis, 10-6, as part of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on February 21, 2014 at Chain of Lakes Park Stadium in Winter Haven. The Bears got run-scoring singles from Mike Cundari, Joseph Mendes and Francis Rapp in a losing effort. Chris Cutrone took the loss despite at one point retiring 13 straight batters.

Scouting the Scots

Alma College finished the 2014 campaign with an 18-20 record. They bring back Juan Dominguez, who connected on 30 hits and was tied for the lead with 18 runs batted in. Senior Blake Leddy was tied for the lead with 18 RBI and nine doubles, while smashing two home runs last season.

Outfielder Yoan Delrosa was tied for second on the team with a .333 batting average and scored 17 runs while driving in eight runs. On the mound, lefthander Philip Jock anchors the pitching staff, winning a team-best six games and struck out 52 batters over 48.0 innings pitched.

Last Time Out vs. Alma

The Bears closed out the RussMatt Classic suffering a doubleheader sweep to Alma College, 3-0 and 12-4, on February 23rd at Lake Myrtle Park.

Nicholas LoPrinzi batted 4-for-5 over the twinbill with a walk in a losing effort. Thomas McKenna, Joseph Mendez and Chris Cutrone each contributed two hits over the afternoon.

Donny Pagano went the distance tossing six strong innings in the first game, but took the loss by allowing eight hits, striking out three and walking none. In the second game, Alma posted four runs in the second inning and five runs in the fifth to break the game open.

Next Up for the Bears – vs. Albertus Magnus

St. Joseph's will eight days off following the Invitational and will have their first home game on Sunday, March 1st when they host a doubleheader against Albertus Magnus. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at Narrows Field in Brooklyn.