WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Hartford baseball team (21-12) returns to the diamond at Fiondella Field on Wednesday afternoon, as it hosts Rhode Island in a single game. First pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 3:30 p.m.
After becoming the fastest team in program history to reach 21 wins, the Hawks will be looking to get back on the winning side of things. Hartford went 1-4 last week, splitting a pair of midweek games with a win at Marist (5-3) on Wednesday and a loss to Quinnipiac (7-5) on Thursday before dropping three-straight at Binghamton (5-3, 12-1, 10-9) in America East action over the weekend.
The setback to the Bobcats marked the squad's first midweek loss all season, as the Hawks are 8-1 in those contests.
Hartford's pitching staff has been strong throughout the season, posting a 4.02 ERA while holding opponents to a .263 batting average as a unit. Reliever
Collin Ferguson, who has posted the fifth-most saves in a single season (7) in program history, leads the way with a 1.56 ERA.
Offensively, junior first baseman
David MacKinnon has been consistently dominant all season. His .357 hitting average is the third-best in the America East, while his .481 slugging percentage lands him fourth in the league. MacKinnon adds 46 hits, eight doubles, 24 runs and 22 RBI to rank in the league's top-10 in each category.
Sophomore catcher
Erik Ostberg and senior infielder
Aaron Wilson have also been strong in the batter's box this season with respective .347 and .320 batting averages. With three triples, Wilson has scored a team-best 31 times while Ostberg adds 20 runs and 22 RBI.
The Rams are 13-17 on the year. Last weekend, the squad was outmuscled on the road at Fordham in A-10 action, dropping the final two contests of a three-game series. As a unit, the Rams' pitching staff enters the week with a 5.22 ERA. Expected to earn the start in Wednesday's midweek affair is Blaise Whitman, who is 1-1 on the year in six appearances and three starts. He owns a 4.67 ERA and has 19 strikeouts in 17.1 innings.
At the plate, Jordan Powell paces the squad with a .355 average, adding 13 runs and 13 RBI, while Martin Figueroa is Rhode Island's leader in doubles (12), home runs (4) and RBI (22).
In the all-time series, which dates back to 1986, Rhode Island holds the advantage at 17-10.
Wednesday's contest will be aired live on AmericaEast.TV, with Brian Irizarry on the call. The contest will also feature live stats, while updates will also be posted on Twitter (@HartfordBASE).
Following the non-conference clash with the Rams, the Hawks remain home for a three-game America East series with Maine. The Hawks and Black Bears are slated to play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 23, with action set to begin at 12 p.m. from Fiondella Field. Following the double dip, the squads will conclude the series on Sunday, April 24, with a single game at 12 noon.
