TEANECK, N.J. – With a postseason spot at stake, the Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team concludes regular season action this week with a three-game series against Wagner at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex.
 
After suffering a sweep last weekend at Central Connecticut, the Knights (15-34-1, 9-12 NEC) find themselves in fifth place in the NEC standings with two postseason spots still up for grabs. In order to secure one of the remaining NEC Tournament berths, the Knights will most likely need to win at least two out of three this weekend against the Seahawks (15-30, 8-13 NEC).
 
Prior to first pitch on Saturday, the Knights will honor seniors Dillon Forsythe, Evan McDonald and Bobby Romano with the annual Senior Day ceremony.
 
Thursday, May 16 - 3:00 PM 
Pitching Matchup:
Aaron Cohn - RHP (4-2, 5.60 ERA) vs. Justin Beyer – RHP (0-0, 0.63 ERA)

Friday, May 17 – 1:00 PM
Pitching Matchup:
James Donlon - RHP (1-4, 7.25 ERA) vs. Neil Abbatiello – LHP (1-1, 4.91 ERA)
 
Saturday, May 18 – 1:00 PM
Pitching Matchup:
TBD (FDU) vs. Eric Ligda – RHP (0-2, 4.97 ERA)
 
Live Coverage
Stats (all games) | Video (Friday/Saturday)
 
The Series
The Seahawks and Knights have met 150 times and FDU leads the all-time series 80-70. Wagner has won each of the last five meetings including a 4-0 series sweep last season on Staten Island.

The Burgundy and Blue Report
The Knights saw their five-game winning streak come to an end with a mid-week loss to Manhattan on Tuesday before they faced the NEC's second-place CCSU Blue Devils, who handed the Burgundy and Blue three straight losses.
 
Despite the setback in New Britain, the Knights still find themselves in position to nab one of the two remaining NEC Tournament vacancies and return to the tourney for the first time since 2016. Standing in their way are the Seahawks, who have NEC postseason aspirations of their own.
 
After a string of solid outings, the FDU pitching staff faltered in the three-game sweep at CCSU allowing 17 runs in the opener before surrendering eight runs in each of the final two games.
 
Sophomore right-hander Aaron Cohn (4-2), who has won three of his last four starts is set to take the ball in Thursday's series opener and will be followed by junior James Donlon, who was the team's most effective pitcher in the series at CCSU. Donlon came on in relief of Cohn last Saturday and provided the Knights with three innings of one-run ball including five strikeouts. The right-hander will be making his fourth start of the season and his 16^th overall appearance.
 
Offensively, the Knights continue to float among the conference's elite with a .278 team batting average, .430 slugging percentage and .373 on-base percentage, which all ranked third in the NEC. 
 
With the freshmen pairing of Tom Ruscitti and Salvatore Monticciolo leading the charge the Knights rank 31^st in the country in home runs per game at 1.12 and have slugged 56 this season. The team is just two home runs away from setting the program's single-season record of 57, which was established in 1986. Ruscitti's 13 home runs tops the NEC and is tied for second most by a Knight in a season, The freshman right fielder needs three more round-trippers to setting the new single-season mark, which is currently held by John Biancamano (1991).
 
Monticciolo, who slugged his 12^th homer of the season at CCSU this past weekend will be competing against Ruscitti and teammates Nate Brodsky and Adam Frank for NEC Rookie of the Year honors. The race for the award will be a close one and regardless of outcome bodes well for the future of the Knights with such a talented cast of first-year standouts.
 
Frank, who leads the team with 61 hits, features a .365 batting average, which ranks fourth in the NEC. The Knights' leadoff man Brodsky boasts a .324 batting average a team-high 39 runs this season.
 
In addition to the success the offensive success this season, a pair of senior Knights are closing in on career milestones.
 
As they prepare to celebrate senior day, catcher Evan McDonald and third baseman Bobby Romano rank among the program's all-time leaders. McDonald enters the weekend just five hits shy of 200 for his career as he looks to become the team's seventh Knight to reach the milestone. The Knights' catcher also ranks second all-time in doubles with 49 and third in home runs with 27. Romano, who has slugged 19 career home runs and has 108 RBI to his credit, ranks fourth all-time at FDU with 131 runs scored. 
 
Scouting Wagner
The Seahawks arrive in Teaneck in the midst of a nine-game losing streak. The team suffered a pair of three-game sweeps to the NEC's top teams Bryant and CCSU before falling to St. John's once and Stony Brook twice last week.
 
Despite the skid, the team can still earn one of the NEC postseason spots by taking at least two of three from the Knights this weekend. The team has struggled offensively this season as their 236 runs scored and .351 on-base percentage both rank last in the league. The team also has slugged the fewest home runs in the NEC (18) but leads the conference with 15 triples.
 
The team features two batters above the .300 mark in batting average this season including Will Johnson's .337 clip. Johnson is tied for the team lead with Joe Silverstrone at 56 hits, while Anthony Pecora has been the team's primary power source with five home runs and 30 RBI.
 
On the mound, the team has permitted the fewest hits of any NEC squad this season. Wagner pitching has held the opposition to 431 total knocks along with 69 doubles and 25 home runs, which rank first and second in the conference, respectively.
 
The team's top starting pitcher this season has been junior transfer McCae Allen (4-6), who features a 4.53 ERA with four victories and 52 strikeouts across his 51.2 innings of work. Eric Ligda leads the team with 67.2 innings pitched and 56 strikeouts.
 
Next Up
If the Knights are able to grab one of the remaining NEC postseason spots, the team will travel to Norwich, Connecticut for this year's conference tournament, which begins on Thursday, May 23.