Daytona Beach, Fla. – The Wildcats will take a short drive down International Speedway to DeLand this weekend for three games at Melching Field. B-CU faces a pair of games against Sacred Heart on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m., with a matchup with Stetson sandwiched in between at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night.


Game Information

Saturday-Sunday, March 5-6
Opponent: Sacred Heart (1-5, 0-0 NEC) / Stetson (4-4, 0-0 ASUN)
Time: 2 p.m. / 6:30 p.m. (Saturday)            11 a.m. (Sunday)
Location: DeLand, Fla. / Melching Field
Live Stats:  https://gohatters.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
Watch: HatterVision - YouTube
 
Last Time Out
 
The Wildcats defeated the Dolphins of Jacksonville Wednesday night, 4-3. A strong outing from Hector Vazquez led the way, and Knickolas Billings and Brenton Fisher finished things off for B-CU. Jacksonville threatened late with two runs in the ninth, but Fisher shut the door with a strikeout to send the Dolphins home. Colton Olasin and Matthew Garcia each picked up RBI in the win. Malik Stephens stole three bases.
 
Scouting the Pioneers

Sacred Heart is 1-5 to start the season. They have been outscored 16-62 on the season. Last time out, the Pioneers defeated Stony Brook, 9-6 on Wednesday night. Sacred Heart's pitching staff has produced a 6.57 ERA thus far this season. They are batting .174 as a team.
 
Infielder Dante D'amore has been a bright spot for Sacred heart. He leads his team in OPS, and has collected four RBI this season. He owns the team's only home run this season. Utility man Joe Emerson has five RBI and a pair of doubles.
 
Scouting the Hatters
 
Stetson is 4-4 to start the season. The Hatters have faced some strong competition, losing to #4 Notre Dame, 5-3, and #15 Florida, 8-1 in the first week of the season. The Hatters are batting .252 as a team, and their pitching staff has combined for a 4.56 ERA.
 
Two-way man Anthony DaFabbia has begin his 2022 season on a tear with a 1.094 OPS through seven games. He leads the hatters with 5 RBI on nine hits, including three doubles and a triple. Outfielder Cameron Hill, who has appeared in all eight games for Stetson, has scored 11 runs on ten hits, with a .472 OBP.
 
The Starters
 
Louis Lipthratt will once again lead the Wildcats into the weekend with a start against Sacred Heart Saturday afternoon. Lipthratt still owns a 2.70 ERA after last weekend's outing against FGCU in which he allowed three earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts against the Eagles.

Right-hander Nolan Santos will get his first start of the season at Stetson on Friday night. Santos has appeared in 8.1 innings this season, all in relief. He has a 5.40 ERA with six strikeouts. Opponents are batting .233 against him this season.
 
Joan Gonzalez will get his third Sunday start of the season. He is winless in two outings thus far, allowing 14 hits and nine earned runs through nine innings. He has struck out ten batters, but walked six.
 
Sacred Heart will start right-hander Ryan LaMay on Saturday. The graduate student had to settle for a no-decision against St. Thomas on opening weekend despite throwing five innings where he allowed only five hits and two unearned runs. LaMay finished the 2021 season with a 6.54 ERA over 53.2 IP.
 
On Sunday, the Pioneers will turn to another righty, Jake Babuschak, on Sunday. Babuschak has been a victim of some tough luck on the mound – through two starts, he is 0-2 with a 2.25 ERA. He has allowed 10 hits and 12 runs – only two of them earned in eight innings. He has hit five batters.

Stetson will throw lefty Jonathan Gonzalez on Saturday night. Through 12 IP, Gonzalez has allowed 9 runs on 14 hits with one walk and ten strikeouts. He is 1-1 in two starts this season.
 
 
All-Time Series
 
This will be the first time in the history of the two programs that Sacred Heart and B-CU meet on the diamond.
 
The Wildcats are no stranger to DeLand. B-CU and Stetson have faced off 36 times all-time. Stetson owns a 25-11 edge in that series and has won the last two. It will be two years to the date that the Hatters and Wildcats will meet – Stetson last knocked off the Wildcats, 5-0 on March 4, 2020.
 
Notes

• The Wildcats have stolen at least one base in every game this season, and 21 total bases on the season.
• Matthew Garcia, Malik Stephens, and Colton Olasin are the only Wildcats to start every game this season. Combined, they have 14 RBI, 29 hits, 38 total bases, and are batting .315.
• Olasin has struck out only twice this season in 26 at-bats.
• Knickolas Billings has yet to allow an earned run in eight innings this season. He has surrendered six hits and two walks. Opponents are batting .194 against him.
• Louis Lipthratt has allowed only one extra-base hit through two starts – a solo home run on opening night.

 
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