ST. BONAVENTURE (5-20, 2-4 A-10) vs CANISIUS (10-15, 6-0 MAAC)
Tuesday, April 11 – 2:00 p.m. (DH)
St. Bonaventure, N.Y. – Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field
 
ST. BONAVENTURE vs RHODE ISLAND (11-16, 3-3 A-10)
Friday, April 14 – Sunday, April 16
St. Bonaventure, N.Y. – Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field
TV: ESPN+ (Friday & Saturday()
 
The St. Bonaventure University baseball team hosts Little Three rival Canisius on Tuesday, April 11 for a non-conference doubleheader, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Then, the Bonnies will welcome A-10 foe Rhode Island for a three-game series, kicking off on Friday, April 14 at 3:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday's contests will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
HOME SWEET HOME

• The Bonnies are in the midst of an nine-game homestand, which began this past weekend with a three-game series against Saint Louis.
• After welcoming Canisius and Rhode Island this week, St. Bonaventure concludes their homestand against Niagara.

 
PUTNEY PUNCH

• Jack Putney was a leader for the Bonnies at the plate this past week. The senior third baseman finished 8-for-17 for a .471 batting average, while driving in five runs with three doubles and a home run in four games during the week.
• Putney started the week with a 3-for-4 day at the dish against Binghamton Tuesday afternoon.
• In the Bonnies' victory against Saint Louis on Saturday, Putney went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a run batted in.
• For the season, Putney leads the team with 28 hits and nine doubles and is second on the team with a .311 batting average.

WINNING COMBINATION

• The Bonnies have found a successful pitching duo in starter Gabe Watts and reliever Liam Devine.
• In three of the five wins for St. Bonaventure this season, Watts has started the game on the mound and Devine has closed the game out of the bullpen.
• Devine picked up the win in relief of Watts in the team's victory at VCU, while the game was closed out by Ryan O'Connell.
• This past Saturday, Watts earned his second victory of the season on the bump, throwing five strong innings while scattering seven hits on four runs with three strikeouts. Devine got the final 12 outs in relief to pick up his fourth save of the year.
• Devine has played a part in all five Bona's wins this year, earning one win and four saves on the mound. 

RANKIE RISING

• Bonnies junior outfielder Adam Rankie is making an impact in his first season with the program. The junior college transfer enters Tuesday with a nine-game hitting streak, longest on the season for any Bonnies player. He enters this week hitting .307 for the season. 

WHO'S HOT

• Putney has been red-hot as of late, hitting a team-best .429 over his last 10 games with a .429 on-base percentage and .714 slugging percentage, driving in 11 runs.
• Mark Darakjy will be an added power bat to the lineup when healthy. He was unable to start during the Saint Louis game due to an injury, though he pinch hit in the series finale. For the year, Darakjy leads the team with a .333 batting average and his .460 on-base is also tops on the club.
• Six Bonnies are hitting .297 or better for the year: Darakjy, Putney, Rankie, Jackson DeJohn (.302), Christian Szablewski (.300) and Evan Dieter (.297).

STRENGTH UP THE MIDDLE

• Entering the season, the Bonnies coaching staff figured that their strength would be up the middle with excellent defense. That theory was tested right away as from the second game of the year on, at least one member of that up the middle equation has been out with injury. So far, only catcher Jackson DeJohn has been available for every game, starting 24 of 25 contests. The Bonnies are getting a bit more healthy lately, though, being boosted by the return of second baseman Kyle Caccamise who was injured in the second game of the year before returning last week. Shortstop Artin Biageyian has also missed time due to injury, while centerfielder Jayce Tharnish has been limited to 13 games so far. The changes in the depth chart have allowed more oportunities for Dieter (.297 average, .372 on-base) and Conner Vercollone (eight starts, 19 appearances) in center and Chris Hoalcraft (14 starts) at short.

 
ABOUT CANISIUS

• The Golden Griffins hold a 10-15 overall record and a conference record of 6-0, falling in their last series against Morehead State.
• Last season, Canisius notched MAAC Champion honors, earning a spot in the NCAA Baseball Championship where the team played a close game against PAC-12 conference member Arizona.
• Jackson Strong (.371 batting average) and Dylan Vincent (.354 batting average) have each led the Golden Griffins with five home runs and 17 RBIs. 2023 Preseason All-MAAC Team selection Mike DeStefano has drove in a team-high 28 runs with eight doubles.
• Starting pitcher Matt Duffy, who was a 2022 All-MAAC First Team selection and 2023 All-MAAC Preseason Team honoree has a 4.99 ERA in seven starts this year with a team-high 56 strikeouts.
• Reigning MAAC Relief Pitcher and Rookie of the Year Peyton Consigli has recorded a 4.96 ERA with 23 strikeouts in seven relief appearance this season.
• Canisius was selected to win a second straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title, receiving 116 points and seven first-place votes in the 2023 MAAC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll.

 
ABOUT RHODE ISLAND

• Currently, the Rams have a record of 11-16 and 3-3 in A-10 play so far this season, taking two out three games at Fordham last weekend.
• Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team selection Addison Kopack has notched a .299 batting average this season with a team-high nine doubles and four home runs. Billy Butler leads the team with a .317 batting average.
• On the mound, starter Trystan Levesque has a 4.07 ERA in starts with a team-high 57 strikeouts. In 11 appearances this season, reliever Ryan Andrade has tallied 1.53 ERA, striking out 20 batters and making four saves.
• Rhode Island is tabbed to finish sixth in the 2023 A-10 Baseball Preseason Poll. As a team this spring, Rhody ranks eighth in the A-10 for team batting average (.251) and ninth in runs scored (160). On the hill, the Rams are sixth in the league in team ERA (6.80).
• In last season's matchup, St. Bonaventure was victorious in 11 innings, 6-4, at Rhode Island in the first game of the series. Bryce Hediger started and worked four innings, allowing two runs with three strikeouts. Kyle Caringi and Rushil Bhat worked scoreless innings out of the bullpen to help the Bonnies secure the win. Rhode Island responded to win the next two games to take the series.

 
 UP NEXT
The Bonnies finish off their homestand on Tuesday, April 18 when Little Three rival Niagara comes to town. First is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
 
 
 
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