BUFFALO, N.Y. – The St. Bonaventure baseball team (18-18) looks to get back above .500 as it travels to Little Three rival Canisius (23-23), which will also be trying to get above .500, for a Tuesday matinee beginning at 4 p.m. The game will air on tape delay on Time Warner Cable Sports.
LAST TIME OUT: The Bonnies are coming off a series loss to Saint Joseph's this past weekend at Fred Handler Park. After dropping the first game, 7-2, Bona got a brilliant complete-game effort from senior Jordan Crane to win game two, 2-1, before losing the finale, 7-3.
SCOUTING CANISIUS: The Griffs have lost each of their last two conference series, most recently dropping a 7-3 decision at Fairfield University in the rubber match of the last weekend's series. Freshman Connor Panas had a career-high four hits – one of four Golden Griffins who had multiple hits in the contest. As a team, Canisius is hitting .277 and has an ERA of 5.19. Jon Fitzsimmons has been great out of the pen for the Griffs, allowing just two runs over his 18 appearances (18.1 innings pitched).
REBOUND: The Bonnies hope to rebound after falling to Canisius, 4-3, earlier this season at home. Bona starter Asa Johnson opened the game by allowing three runs to the Griffs in the 1st inning. For the next three innings there was no offense until Johnson gave up a solo home run in the 4th. Seven different Bonnies recorded one hit each. Junior Michael Merideth added two RBI while senior Ryan Skellie added one RBI as well to complete the Bona offense for the day.
BATTLE ON THE BUMP:
Probables: Cameron Carney (0-1) vs. Jason Rubenstein (0-0)
Freshman Cameron Carney is expected to make his first start. He took the loss on Sunday as he allowed two runs in relief, but neither was earned. Carney has eight appearances on the year with an ERA of 4.63 over 11.2 innings pitched. The right-hander has struck out 12 against just six walks, while scattering 11 hits. Rubenstein is also projected to make the first start of his season as up until this point he has made 12 relief appearances while carrying an ERA of 2.92 in 12.1 innings.
URBAN FEEL: Junior Billy Urban continues lead the team in batting average (.370), hits (51), RBI (34), doubles (12) and total bases (68). He is also batting .396 against right-handed pitching. In Sunday's series finale, Urban failed to get the runner in from third base with less than two outs for the first time all year. He was 1-for-3 in those tries against the Hawks; entering the game he was a perfect 13-for-13 in such situations.
.300 CLUB: Three Bonnies continue to hit over .300 for the season: Urban (.370), Skellie (.336) and junior Jason Radwan (.319).
IRONMEN: Urban, Radwan and senior Nick Brennen are the only three Bona players to have started all 36 games this season.
STREAKING (AGAIN): After having his streak of reaching base safely in 41 straight games snapped earlier this season, Radwan has picked up right where he left off and is riding a current six-game streak.
RIGHT & LEFT: Skellie is torching both right- and left-handed pitching as he's currently connecting at a .316 clip against righties and a .389 clip against southpaws.
ON DECK: The Bonnies resume Atlantic 10 Conference play this weekend as they hit the road and travel to Saint Louis for a crucial three-game series beginning Friday and concluding Sunday.
