Baseball Looks to Continue Winning Ways with a Five-Game Stretch in Three Days

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Following their 4-1 stretch this past weekend, the St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) baseball team (6-8) have five games over a three-day span when they face off with CUNYAC foe Baruch College on Thursday, then have doubleheaders with both Old Westbury on Friday and John Jay on Saturday afternoon.

Game Information

Opponent: Baruch College (5-12)
Date: Thursday, April 2nd
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Field: MCU Park | Brooklyn, N.Y.

Opponent: Old Westbury (9-4)
Date: Friday, April 3rd
Time: 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Field: Old Westbury, N.Y.
Coverage: Live Stats

Opponent: John Jay (0-9)
Date: Saturday, April 4th
Time: 12:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Field: Padavan-Preller Field | Bellerose, N.Y.
Coverage: Live Stats 

Team Links

St. Joseph's (Bklyn): Roster | Schedule | Statistics
Baruch: Roster | Schedule | Statistics 
Old Westbury: Roster | Schedule | Statistics 
John Jay: Roster | Schedule | Statistics 

Quick Hits

• St. Joseph's is looking to extend their season-best win streak to four, and their fifth win in six games.
• Facing Baruch, St. Joseph's is 3-5 overall dating back to 2009.
• This is the Bears' first meeting with Old Westbury since the 2011 season. They are aiming for their first win over the Panthers in school history, going 0-5 in previous meetings.
• St. Joseph's owns a 12-3 advantage against John Jay, including winning their last 10 meetings.
• John Jay is seeking their first win of the 2015 campaign, losing their first nine games.
• Thomas McKenna leads the team with a .409 batting average (18-for-44) and has also plated eight RBI (tied for first) and seven runs scored, while also stealing a team-high six bases. He is three hits shy of surpassing the all-time hits record held by Joseph Mendez '14.
• The Bearcats are powered by Jasdeep Buttar, who leads the team and the CUNYAC with 14 RBI along with a conference-best 24 hits.

All-Time Series

Against Baruch, the Bears are 3-5 overall dating back to 2009. They are searching for their second straight win after winning last season.

St. Joseph's is looking for their first-ever victory over Old Westbury, going 0-5 in previous matchups.

The Bears own a sizable 12-3 advantage against John Jay, including winning their last 10 meetings.

Last Meeting vs. Baruch

Led by three-hit days at the plate by Anthony DeFillippo, Chris Cutrone and Domenick Camerada, the Bears earned a 6-3 triumph over Baruch College on April, 3, 2014 at MCU Park.  Donny Paganomade the start for the Bears and threw two scoreless innings allowing a lone hit in the second to pick up the win.

Last Meeting vs. Old Westbury

St. Joseph's dropped both games of a doubleheader on the road to Old Westbury, 8-5 and 14-2, on March 27, 2011. The Panthers outhit the Bears 28-7 for the doubleheader.

Joseph Boccia and freshman Joe Mendez were the only Bears with multiple hits. Boccia finished game one 3-for-4 and scored two runs, while Mendez had a hit in each game and collected his team-leading 13th RBI.

Last Meeting vs. John Jay

In their last matchup, Chris Cutrone had a 3-for-4 day at the plate to join the coveted century hit club and Joe Mendez blasted two homers and scored four times to score his 100th career run powering the Bears to a doubleheader sweep of John Jay College, 13-2 and 9-1, on April 13, 2014 at James Madison High School.

Nicholas LoPrinzi and Mike Cundari both collected three hits on the afternoon. LoPrinzi with three RBI, two doubles and two runs scored. Cundari with three runs scored, a RBI, two walks and two stolen bases.

The Bear Facts

Thomas McKenna (Bellerose, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) has done it all for the Bears on the offensive end. The senior leads the team with a .409 batting average (18-for-44) and has also plated eight RBI (tied for first) and seven runs scored, while also stealing a team-high six bases. He had his hitting streak snapped at 12, two hits shy of tying the all-time team mark. McKenna is currently three hits shy of becoming the Bears' all-time leading hitter.

Third baseman Nicholas LoPrinzi (Howard Beach, N.Y./St. Francis Prep). is batting .319 through 45 at-bats. The sophomore is even with McKenna at the top of the team with eight runs batted in and has scored six runs.

Catcher Domenick Camerada (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) and shortstop Francis Rapp (Baldwin, N.Y./Oceanside) has each driven in seven RBI. Chris Cutrone (Levittown, N.Y./Island Trees HS) leads the school with 10 runs scored.

On the mound, Mitch Brigando (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) has a 3-0 record, accounting for both Bears victories this season. In those starts, he leads the team with 18 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings pitched. Brian Luebcke (Astoria, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just five hits in their win over SUNY-Canton March 28th.

Bears Last Time Out vs. SUNY-Canton

The Bears tallied two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off with a 5-4 victory over SUNY Canton on March 29th at Padavan-Preller Field, completing a three-game sweep of the Roos.

Mitch Brigando finished off the comeback with a grounder to third as Bobby Perretti (Howard Beach, N.Y./St Francis Prep) slid under the tag of the catcher at home for the walkoff victory.

Thomas McKenna led the Bears at the dish with a 3-for-4 day and a RBI and now needs just three hits to become the all-time Bears hits leader. Nicholas LoPrinzi knocked a pair of hits and Anthony DeFillippo scored a pair of runs and drew two walks.

Bear Witness to History

In the Bears' doubleheader loss to CCNY Sunday, Thomas McKenna now needs just three hits to become the career Bears hits leader and surpass Joe Mendez '14 who currently holds the mark with 174 total hits.

Bearcats On the Prowl

Jasdeep Buttar leads Baruch on the offensive end so far this season. The sophomore leads both team and the CUNYAC with 14 RBI along with a conference-best 24 hits. He is also hitting .324 which is 11th in the conference.  

Nicholas LaForgia averages .313 at the plate, good for 14th in the CUNYAC and nine RBI. He also leads the team and sixth in the conference with an on-base percentage of .448. On the mound, Matthew Fazio leads the team with two victories and is second in the conference in strikeouts (18).

Baruch Last Time Out vs. New Jersey City

In their last game played, Baruch dropped an 11-0 decision on the road to New Jersey City on Tuesday night. The Bearcats accumulated just four hits in a losing effort.

Panthers Pride

Old Westbury is paced by senior captain Nick Yip, who is hitting a blistering .421 at the plate to lead the team along with a team-best 16 hits and four homers, which leads the Skyline Conference. Third baseman Michael Cardino hits an even .400 with 10 RBI and a team-best 15 runs scored.

Sophomore shortstop Tommy Ziegen is coming off winning last week's Skyline Player of the Week, going 9-for-18 along with 12 RBI and six runs scored over the week as the Panthers went 4-0 over the past week.

On the mound, Tim Engram owns a team-best 3-1 record along with 2.29 earned run average (fourth in the Skyline) and a conference-high 26 strikeouts.

Old Westbury Last Time Out vs. Manhattanville

In their last time out,  Manhattanville tallied a seven-run seventh to come back and defeat Old Westbury, 9-5, at the Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex. Joey Walsh hit three-for-four and scored three runs and stole three bases in a losing effort for the Panthers. Jake Schwartz also added the lone run batted in on an RBI single.

In the Doghouse

John Jay is seeking their first victory on the season and snap a nine-game losing skid. Nico Rivera leads the Bloodhounds with a .290 batting average and a team-best five extra base hits and five runs batted in.

Zach Hyde is tied for the team lead with nine hits and has four runs scored. Dylan Laudano is second on the team with four RBI on three hits.

John Jay Last Time Out vs. New York University

The Bloodhounds in their last game dropped a 7-2 decision to New York University on Wednesday night at MCU Park.  Dylan Laudano drove in a run on a run-scoring double and both Zach Hyde and Jason Gonzalez scored runs. Erik Pratz led the team with two hits in a losing cause.

Next Up for the Bears – at FDU-Florham 

After the five-game stretch, the Bears kick off the next week with a showdown with FDU-Florham Monday night at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, N.Y. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.