Baseball Preview Notes: Malone Opens Home Schedule Tuesday vs. Mercyhurst

Richie Mast is currently on an eight-game hitting streak.

The Malone University baseball team will play its home opener on Tuesday, March 22nd at 2:00 pm when they welcome NCAA DII #16 Mercyhurst University (PA) to Schoonover Stadium on the campus of Kent State University for a nine-inning matinee. Tuesday's non-conference matchup will feature the second best hitting team in the GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference) and the second best pitching team in the PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference),

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Rosters: Malone | Mercyhurst
Records: Malone (6-7) | Mercyhurst (11-8)
Statistics: Malone | Mercyhurst
All Time Record: Malone is winless in two tries against Mercyhurst, falling 6-1 and 7-6 in a doubleheader a season ago.

Malone Notes:

The Pioneers are currently 2nd in the GLIAC with a .345 team batting average...four Pioneers are hitting .349 or better
Catcher Matt Davis (2HR, 11 RBI) is 2nd in the GLIAC in hitting (.452), 3rd in on-base percentage (.519), and 4th in slugging percentage (.714)
Centerfielder Keanan Locke is 4th in the league in both batting average (.436) and stolen bases (6)...he has at least one hit in 12 of 13 games this season
Third baseman Jon Crank (.333) ranks 4th in the conference in homeruns (4) and 6th in RBI (17)
Rightfielder Ryan Froman (.308 BA, .370 OBP) is tied for the team lead with five doubles and tied for second on the squad with 11 RBI
Shortstop Richie Mast (.370 BA, .408 OBP) is second on the team in runs scored (12) and in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak
2015 All-GLIAC First Team selection Joe Costello (0-1, 8.64 ERA) is the probable starter for Tuesday's game

Mercyhurst Notes:

Through 19 games,the Lakers' pitching staff is ranked second in the PSAC in team ERA (3.88) and batting average against (.226)...defensively, Mercyhurst is 2nd in fielding percentage (.975) and have committed a PSAC-low 15 errors
As a team, the Lakers are hitting .290 and scoring 5.2 runs per game...a trio of hitters in the heart of the lineup are batting .333 or better
Third baseman Austin Alonge is hitting .358 and getting on base at a .468 clip
Centerfielder Chris Gonzalez (.345, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .433 OBP) has a team-high seven stolen bases
First baseman Daniel Elliott (.333, .667 slugging percentage) leads the team with three homeruns and 15 RBI
Mercyhurst finished last season ranked 3rd in the NCAA DII Collegiate Baseball Poll and were ranked 7th in the NCBWA NCAA DII Preseason Poll

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Players Mentioned

#44 Joe Costello: RHP; 6' 5"; Senior; R-R

#20 Jon Crank: 3B; 5' 11"; Senior; S-R

#13 Matt Davis: C; 6' 4"; Senior; R-R

#21 Ryan Froman: OF; 5' 11"; Senior; R-R

#27 Keanan Locke: OF; 5' 11"; Junior; R-R

#11 Richie Mast: SS; 5' 7"; Senior; R-R

Players Mentioned

#44 Joe Costello
: 6' 5"; Senior; R-R
: RHP

#20 Jon Crank
: 5' 11"; Senior; S-R
: 3B

#13 Matt Davis
: 6' 4"; Senior; R-R
: C

#21 Ryan Froman
: 5' 11"; Senior; R-R
: OF

#27 Keanan Locke
: 5' 11"; Junior; R-R
: OF

#11 Richie Mast
: 5' 7"; Senior; R-R
: SS