FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Baseball team will get their final tune-up before starting conference play when they travel upstate to face the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils on Wednesday at 2pm. The Stags, winners of four of their last six, will be looking for their tenth win of the season.
As has been the theme during the early season, the Stags will bring their bats to New Britain as their high-powered offense still leads the league in: batting average (.303), home runs (27), runs per game (8.1), on-base percentage (.404), and slugging percentage (.509), with all of those numbers ranking in the top-75 in the country.
Mike Becchetti is the MAAC leader with 31 hits and a .419 batting average while
Charlie Pagliarini leads the league with a .550 on-base percentage and 21 RBI.
However, the pitching and defense has improved over the last few games for the Stags, as well. Right-hander
Colin McVeigh was just named the MAAC Pitcher of the Week after tossing seven shutout innings in Fairfield's first shutout of the season at Fordham.
As a team, the Stags have committed just one error in the last five games, improving their fielding percentage to .980, ranking 25th in the nation.
They are also in the top-half in the MAAC in both ERA and WHIP.
The Blue Devils finished in a first-place tie in the NEC Preseason Poll after going 29-18 overall and 17-10 in conference play last season. They return four of their seven All-NEC picks from 2022 including First Team members Luke Garofalo and Anthony Mozzicato.
This year, Central Connecticut holds an 8-3 record with their only losses coming to nationally-ranked LSU and UAlbany.
This will be the final tune-up for the squad before conference play, as they begin MAAC play with a three-game series at home against Siena starting on Friday at 2pm.
