Baseball Seeks to Build Momentum With Three Doubleheaders This Weekend

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) baseball team (2-7) look to gain back some ground in what has been a weather-plagued 2015 campaign so far with six games scheduled this weekend. On Friday, the Bears will take on Lehman in a doubleheader the Bronx. They then will face off with USCAA opponent SUNY-Canton in doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday.

Game Information

Opponent: Lehman (0-4)
Date: Friday, March 27th
Time: 3:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Field: South Field | Bronx, N.Y.
Coverage: Live Stats

Opponent: SUNY-Canton (4-9)
Date: Saturday, March 28th
Time: 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
Field: Padavan-Preller Field | Bellerose, N.Y.
Coverage: Directions

Date: Sunday, March 29th
Time: 1:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.
Field: Dowling College | Oakdale, N.Y.
Coverage: Directions

Team Links

St. Joseph's (Bklyn): Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Lehman: Roster | Schedule | Statistics  
SUNY-Canton: Roster | Schedule | Statistics  

Quick Hits

• St. Joseph's is looking for their third win on the season after dropping the last three games.
• The Bears have won three of their last four matchups against Lehman, and have a slight 8-6 edge.
• It has been an evenly matched rivalry between the Bears and SUNY-Canton. Both teams have split the six career games between each other, including a doubleheader split last season.
• Nicholas LoPrinzi is tied for first on the team batting .393 (11-of-28) along with a team-high seven runs and five runs scored.
• Senior Thomas McKenna is looking to topple another Bears record. Following him becoming the all-time leader in runs scored on Sunday, he is tied for second and 10 hits shy of surpassing the all-time hits record held by Joseph Mendez '14.
• Lehman is seeking their first win of the 2015 campaign, losing their first four games.
• SUNY-Canton is looking to build a winning streak having lost seven of their last nine games.
• The Roos are powered by Christian Nazario-Cruz, who is in the USCAA top 20 with a .421 batting average on 16-of-38 hitting and has stolen eight bases (tied for third).

All-Time Series

The Bears own a slight 8-6 advantage over Lehman, dating back to 2008. They have won three of their last four matchups with the Lightning.

St. Joseph's and SUNY Canton are even in their all-time series at 3-3. Last season, they split a doubleheader on April, 5th, 2014.

Last Meeting vs. Lehman

In their last matchup, St. Joseph's salvaged a doubleheader split on Senior Day with Lehman with a 2-0 in game one and walk-off 10-9 win in game two on April 27, 2014 at MCU Park.

In game one, Chris Cutrone tossed a complete game, allowing just two runs on three hits in the loss. Game two saw a six-run first-inning Bears lead evaporate and was locked even at 9 apiece in the seventh. A fielding error on second base allowed Anthony DeFillippo to score the winning run.

Michael Camerada led the Bears, going 2-for-4 with a triple, three RBI and a run scored in game two. Francis Rapp ended the day 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while Vinny Rossi concluded the afternoon 2-for-3 with an RBI in game two. Thomas McKenna went 2-for-6 with a pair of runs scored.

Last Meeting vs. SUNY Canton

In their last matchup, the Bears split a doubleheader with the Roos on April 5th, 2014, falling in the opener 4-3 before taking the nightcap 2-1 in ten innings at the SJC Outdoor Complex.

Down three runs in the final frame of game one, St. Joseph would stage a late-game rally would fall short in the seventh, leaving the tying run on first base to end the game. Francis Rapp finished with two RBI, while Mike Cundari drove in a run in a losing effort.

In game two, Chris Cutrone set a new Bears record by tossing 10-inning complete game, allowing just one run and striking out five to earn the victory following Thomas McKenna's walk-off single to win it in the bottom of the 10th inning.

The Bear Facts

Nicholas LoPrinzi (Howard Beach, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) has been the offensive leader so far this season for the Bears. The sophomore third baseman is tied for first on the team batting .393 (11-of-28). Last year's AD3I Rookie of the Year has driven in a team-high seven runs with five runs scored.

Senior Thomas McKenna (Bellerose, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) has also hit the ball well to start the season. He is tied with LoPrinzi with a .393 batting average (11-for-28) and has also plated three RBI and four runs scored, and swiped a team-high four bases. In Sunday's loss to CCNY, he extended his hitting streak to nine, and scored twice to become the new Bears all-time runs scored leader with 125 runs, surpassing Michael Cundari '14.

Catcher Domenick Camerada (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) is second with six RBI to go along with a .318 average behind the plate. Shortstop Francis Rapp (Baldwin, N.Y./Oceanside) has driven in four RBI on six hits, while Chris Cutrone (Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees HS) leads the school with six runs scored.

On the mound, Mitch Brigando (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) has a 2-0 record, accounting for both Bears victories this season. In two starts, Cutrone leads the team with 13 strikeouts over 13 innings pitched.

Bears Last Time Out vs. CCNY

The Bears couldn't produce any last inning heroics after putting the tying run in scoring position in both games as they dropped both ends of a doubleheader to City College of New York, 3-2 and 5-3, on Sunday afternoon at Baseball Heaven.

Nicholas LoPrinzi led the Bears with three hits over the twinbill, driving in one run and walking twice. Senior Thomas McKenna got hits in both games, extending his hitting streak to nine. He also crossed the plate twice to become the new Bears all-time runs scored leader with 125 runs, surpassing Michael Cundari '14.

Senior Chris Cutrone also knocked a pair of hits and scored twice while Domenick Camerada and Brian Luebcke also connected on two hits, with Camerada also driving in a run.

Bear Witness to History

In the Bears' doubleheader loss to CCNY Sunday, Thomas McKenna overtook Mike Cundari '14 on the all-time runs scored list. He now needs just 10 hits to become the career Bears hits leader and surpass Joe Mendez '14 who currently holds the mark with 174 total hits.

Lightning Strikes

Lehman is aiming to grab their first victory on the season and snap a four-game losing skid.

The team is paced on the offensive end by Danny Rodriguez and Carlo Francisco. Both are tied for the team lead with three RBI, with Rodriguez hitting .313. Christopher Lopez leads the squad with a .364 batting average (four-of-11) through four games and has a triple and a home run.

Lehman Last Time Out vs. SUNY Old Westbury

In their last time out, Lehman dropped a doubleheader sweep to SUNY Old Westbury, losing 18-3 in game one and 15-7 in game two on March 17th at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, N.Y.

Four different players connected on solo homers during the two games for the team. Christopher Lopez and Jhon Comas each finished with two hits, two runs and a solo home run. Comas also stole two bases. Carlos Alcantara had a single, a run and an RBI to go with three walks in the doubleheader.

Roos Watch

The Roos are led by sophomore outfielder Christian Nazario-Cruz, who is in the USCAA top 20 with a .421 batting average on 16-of-38 hitting and is ninth in the association with a .542 on-base percentage. Along with seven RBI, he has swiped eight bases so far, which ranks tied for third in the USCAA.

Jeremy Baez tops Canton with eight RBI and has batted .325 through 13 games. Brandon Welch is second on the team with a .381 average, including six RBI and a team-high five extra-base hits.

On the mound, Travis Bigelow has posted a 2-0 record with a microscopic 1.80 earned run average (ninth in the USCAA) through 15.0 innings pitched.  

SUNY Canton Last Time Out vs. Arcadia

In their last time out, Canton split a doubleheader with Arcadia University, losing 3-1 in game one and winning 5-0 in game two on March 15th.

The Roos could only muster two hits in the first game, and their lone run scored on a fielding error. Game two saw Dom Deliberti toss the team's first shutout of the season, scattering five hits and striking out two over five innings in the win.

The offense was provided by Christian Nazario-Cruz, who powered two hits, including an RBI single in the second, to go along with a run scored on Wilson Matos' run-scoring single. The four-run frame proved to be all the offense needed for the win.

Next Up for the Bears – at Baruch at MCU Park

Following their six-game stretch this weekend, the Bears will then head to MCU Park, the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, for the first time this season as they face off with CUNYAC foe Baruch College on Thursday, April 2nd. First pitch is at 4:00 p.m.