NEW BRITAIN, Conn. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team concludes its 2017 regular season this weekend with a four-game series at Central Connecticut State.
The Knights (12-30, 8-14 NEC) enter this weekend's series with slim postseason hopes as they will need to take all four games from the second-place Blue Devils (29-20, 17-7 NEC) and also have other conference outcomes work in their favor.
Ahead of the Knights, LIU Brooklyn (11-11) currently occupies the third spot in the NEC standings, Sacred Heart (11-12) is in fourth and Wagner (10-11) fifth.
This weekend's series consists of a single game on Friday, doubleheader on Saturday and then the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
The Knights are in the midst of a six-game skid including a crucial four-game sweep last weekend at the hands of LIU Brooklyn. The series catapulted the Blackbirds into third place, while diminishing the Knights' postseason hopes.
Entering his weekend, the Knights are looking to send off their senior class on a winning note. The team honored
Ryan Brennan,
Danny Demetrops,
Logan Frati and
Matt McCann last Sunday prior to their home finale.
Brennan is on the cusp of joining McCann in the exclusive 200 career-hit club. The senior first baseman is just six hits shy of reaching the milestone and becoming just the sixth Knight to accomplish the feat.
The Blue Devils took two of four from Wagner in their last conference series and also won an 11-10 game over Hartford this past Wednesday.
This season, the Blue Devils have been led offensively by Dean Lockery, Franklin Jennings and Ryan Costello. Lockery and Costello are the top two NEC leaders in doubles at 20 and 19, respectively, while Jennings enters the weekend with a .311 batting average and a team-best nine stolen bases.
Series History: Central Connecticut leads the all-time series 37-24 but the Knights took four of five last season including the quarterfinal matchup of the NEC Tournament.
Links:
Central Connecticut State Baseball page
Weekend Schedule:
Friday, May 19 – 3:00 p.m.
Live Stats
Probable Starters
Evan Layne (FDU) LHP vs. Mike Appel (CCSU) RHP
Saturday, May 20– 1:00 p.m.
Probable Starters:
Game 1: Danny Demetrops (FDU) LHP vs. TBA (CCSU)
Live Stats
Game 2: Logan Frati (FDU) vs. TBA (CCSU)
Live Stats
Sunday, May 21 – 1:00 p.m.
Live Stats
Corey Zeller (FDU) RHP vs. TBA (CCSU)
