FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Baseball team will open up Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play with a three-game series at Don and Chris Cook Field starting with a doubleheader on Friday at 11:30am. The series will conclude on Saturday with a single game at 2pm. The series shifted to Fairfield's campus because of playing conditions at Iona's field, therefore Fairfield will be playing as the road team during the series.
 
The Stags enter conference play as the top power team in the MAAC, leading the league in home runs (32) and slugging percentage (.505). At the top of that power display is graduate catcher Ethan Hibbard who leads the MAAC in seven different categories including: average (.459), hits (39), homers (11), runs scored (26), RBI (39), slugging percentage (.941), and total bases (80). In the national landscape, he ranks in the top-10 in Division I in: RBI, batting average, and slugging percentage.
 
Right behind Hibbard, is Matt Bergevin who homered in the last outing against UMass Lowell to bring his spring total to nine while driving in his 28th run of the year. He is ranked in the top-three in the MAAC in those statistics while also placing third in slugging percentage.
 
On the rubber, the Stags have been led by southpaw Blake Helmstetter who is fourth in the MAAC with a 3.38 ERA and also leads the squad with 29.1 innings pitched and 33 strikeouts.
 
As a staff, the Stags lead the MAAC with a 1.57 WHIP and a 2.20 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
 
Iona enters play with a 4-18 overall record and an 0-3 start to the MAAC after being swept by league-leading Niagara. Josiah Ragsdale leads the team with a .432 average that includes a team-high nine doubles and three triples.
 
The Stags will take a quick trip on the road to face St. John's on Tuesday at 3pm before opening up a 10-game homestand on Wednesday.