MERION STATION, Pa. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team will open its 2016 Atlantic 10 slate on Thursday afternoon when the Hawks take on Richmond in the first of a three-game set.
Saint Joseph's (7-9) enters the series fresh off an 8-3 win over crosstown rival Villanova on Tuesday. Junior Taylor Boyd and sophomore Marc Giacalone tallied three hits apiece while Giacalone and Matt Maul each drove in a pair of runs.
The win ended a three-game losing streak for the Hawks, who fell in a trio of one-run games over the weekend.
The Hawk offense is led by sophomore catcher Deon Stafford, Jr., whose .361 average, 16 runs scored, .607 slugging percentage, and .467 on-base percentage are all tops on the squad. Stafford is also tied with John Brue for the team lead in home runs with four, while Brue leads the Hawks with 13 runs batted in. Brue's four stolen bases are also a team best.
On the mound, a pair of freshman arms have made an immediate impact on the starting rotation. Righthander Tim Brennan is 2-0 with a 2.25 earned run average and 21 strikeouts in a team-leading 24 innings of work, while southpaw Lucas Rollins is 0-1, but posts a 2.82 ERA and a team-high 24 strikeouts against just three walks in four appearances (three of them starts). Opposing hitters have hit just .220 combined against the pair this season.
Sophomore Justin Aungst has picked up where he left off last season, checking in at 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and one save, while opponents are hitting just .162 off of the Atlantic 10's ERA champion of a year ago. Meanwhile, junior Brian Lau has finished off three saves in six appearances during his first season of work on the hill.
Richmond (12-9) has dropped eight of 11 after a 9-1 start to the campaign. Last time out, the Spiders fell at William & Mary, 12-8. Richmond took a 1-0 lead in the first, but The Tribe answered with six runs in the second, two in the third, and four in the fourth to take a commanding lead.
As a team, the Spiders have hit .338 for the season, led by a quintet of regulars hitting over .350. Kyle Adams is the Spiders' leader in hitting with a .425 average, while Tyler Beckwith's 33 hits, 10 doubles, and four home runs are all team bests. Doug Kraeger leads Richmond with 22 runs batted in.
Among the Spiders' leaders in innings, Matt Olson is 2-0 and leads the way with a 2.25 ERA. Dan Martinson and Zach Grossfeld have made a team-high five starts apiece with ERAs of 4.06 and 5.11, respectively. Martinson is 4-1 on the year, while Grossfeld is 2-1. Keenan Bartlett is the only Spider with multiple saves; he has recorded two in six appearances.
First pitch in the series opener is set for 3:00 p.m. on Thursday at Pitt Field.
Probable Starters
Thursday, 3:00 p.m.: RHP Tim Ponto (0-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. RHP Keenan Bartlett (0-1, 5.00 ERA)
Friday, 3:00 p.m.: LHP Lucas Rollins (0-1, 2.82 ERA) vs. LHP Zach Grossfeld (2-1, 5.11 ERA)
Saturday, 1:00 p.m.: RHP Tim Brennan (2-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. RHP Dan Martinson (4-1, 4.06 ERA)
