Live Stats

The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team will look to improve its record to .500 when they take on NYIT Tuesday afternoon in its 2012 home opener at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex in Teaneck, NJ.  First-pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.  The Knights will then face Stony Brook at home on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.
 
Last Time Out: FDU (1-2) was scheduled to play at Fordham last Wednesday, but the game was canceled due to rain.  The Knights have not played since their doubleheader in Davidson, NC against Lehigh and Davidson on Sunday, Feb. 26.  At Davidson, FDU split its first two games against Lehigh (L 8-7, W 6-3) before falling to Davidson, 7-3. 
 
Freshman Shane Siebler (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area), who was named NEC Rookie of the Week last Monday, put together a big weekend for the Knights as he batted .538 (7-for-13) and slugged .769 over his first three collegiate contests with three doubles, two RBI's and two runs scored.  He went 4-for-4 in the first game against Lehigh and collected a hit in his first at-bat in the second game to start his FDU career 5-for-5.  Siebler went 2-for-5 against Davidson for his second-career multi-hit game.
 
Senior Ryan Kresky (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) went 5-for-10 in the three-games, while reaching base 10 times (four walks, one HBP).  He drove in two runs in the three games and delivered a 3-for-3 effort against Davidson.  Freshman Jordan Ritz (Newport News, Va./Woodside) hit .333 (5-for-15) with three RBI's and a stolen base out of the lead-off spot.  He went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in his collegiate debut in the opener versus Lehigh.
 
Junior Eric Anderson (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands) got the start on the mound for FDU and picked up the victory over Lehigh with a quality start.  The lefty went 6.0 innings and allowed three runs, all earned, while scattering five hits.  He walked two, struck out two and hit a batter.  Anderson also went 3-for-10 at the plate with a home run, three RBI's and three walks.  He did all of his offensive damage in the loss to Lehigh.
 
Senior Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) took the loss on the mound against Davidson despite pitching a gutsy performance.  The Knights' ace went 6.0 innings, allowing four runs, all earned, on four hits.  He walked two, hit one batter and struck out a career-best eight.  Eliasen also went 3-for-10 at the plate with two RBI's and two runs.  He went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in the win over Lehigh.

Freshmen Mitch Paz (Bridgeport, CT/St. Joseph), David Marcelino (Englewood, NJ/Paramus Catholic) and Anthony Calise (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) kept the Knights in the first game against Lehigh with a solid performance out of the bullpen.  They combined to allow only two runs, one earned, on four hits, while walking over the final 4.2 innings.
 
Calise and fellow classmates' Yonah Perline (Dix Hills, N.Y./St. Dominic) and Eric Snyder (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh) pitched the seventh, eighth and ninth innings in order to close out the second game against Lehigh with Snyder picking up his first career save.  The trio gave up only four hits without allowing a run.  They struck out two and did not walk a batter.  The Knights' defense also helped out their pitchers by turning four double plays.
 
Scouting NYIT: The Bears (0-4), who are picked to finish fourth in the Great West Conference, were swept in a four-game series this past weekend in their season debut at William and Mary.  NYIT was outscored 45-3 over the four contests.  Senior infielder Ryan Campbell is hitting .313 (5-for-16) to lead the Bears' offense.  As a team, NYIT is hitting only .180 (22-for-122) with three runs scored in four contests.  The Bears have struck out 27 times, drawn five walks and have made 13 errors on defense.  Opponents are hitting .319 off NYIT pitching and have scored 45 runs, walked 26 times and struck out only 12 times at the plate.
 
All-Time Series: The Bears lead the all-time series 39-6.  The two programs last met in 2006 as NYIT clobbered the Knights in Teaneck, 18-0.  FDU has lost six-straight in the series with its last win coming at home over the Bears, 5-3, in 2001.
 
Scouting Stony Brook: The Seawolves (4-3), who are picked to win the America East Conference, are coming off a tough three-game series this past weekend at East Carolina as they lost all three games by one run (1-0, 2-1, 4-3).  SBU won its first four games as they handled Alabama State and Nicholls State in Louisiana.  Junior infielder Max Tissenbaum is hitting a healthy .480 (12-for-25) with two doubles, three runs scored and has yet to strike out.  Junior outfielder Travis Jankowski is hitting .370 (10-for-27) with a team-best seven runs scored, team-high four doubles, one triple and two RBI's while stealing three bases.  As a team, SBU is hitting .244 (55-for-225) with 25 runs scored in seven games.  The Seawolves have struck out 23 times, drawn 23 walks and have committed seven errors on defense.  Opponents are hitting only .214 (46-for-215) and have scored 16 runs, walked 16 times and struck out 39 times at the plate.
 
All-Time Series: The Seawolves lead the all-time series 3-0.  In 2009, they defeated the Knights in Teaneck, 5-1, before winning 16-7 at SBU last season before rallying from four runs down in the eighth inning at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex to defeat FDU, 17-12.
 
Next Up: The Knights will play three games against Lafayette this coming weekend.  FDU will take on the Leopards on Friday, March 9 at the Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex in Easton, PA at 2:30 p.m. before hosting Lafayette in a doubleheader at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex beginning at Noon on Saturday, March 10.