Siena Baseball returns to a traditional schedule this spring, and kicks off its 2022 campaign in a familiar spot. For the 11th time in the last 13 years the Saints will play on Opening Day in the Sunshine State, and for the ninth time in the past 12 seasons the Green and Gold will open at Central Florida. Siena commences a season-opening three-game weekend series against UCF Friday night at 6 p.m. at John Euliano Park in Orlando. 

Senior righthander Mike McCully is set to draw his third straight opening assignment for Siena, while UCF counters with righthander David Litchfield. The Saints' veteran weekend rotation is scheduled to see senior southpaw Ben Seiler take the bump for Saturday's middle game at 4 p.m., with second-year graduate student and fellow lefty Brooks Knapek slated to toe the slab in Sunday's series finale at 1 p.m. All three contests of the season-opening three games series will be broadcast on ESPN+. 

Siena excitedly anticipates a return to normalcy this spring after seeing its past two seasons disrupted due to COVID-19. After playing just 17 games prior to the 2020 season being abruptly halted, the Saints played an abbreviated conference-only schedule last season. This spring, Siena is set to return to a traditional 55-game schedule. 

Under the direction of the longest tenured head coach in NCAA Division I Baseball history Tony Rossi, who enters his 53rd season at the helm, Siena is looking to build upon a condensed 2021 campaign in which the Saints posted a 15-24 conference-only record and took second-seeded Monmouth the distance in the best-of-three MAAC Quarterfinals. Siena returns seven starting position players from last spring, while their 38-man roster features 14 newcomers in total, comprised of 10 true freshmen and four transfers. After finishing seventh last spring, the Saints were predicited to place ninth (11 teams) according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll released earlier this week, which saw senior outfielder Ryan McGee earn Preseason All-MAAC honors. 

UCF posted a 31-30 overall record last season including an 18-14 mark in the American Athletic Conference, while advancing to the AAC Championship Game. The Knights were predicted to finish fifth out of eight teams according to the AAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, with shortshop Alex Freeland, outfielder Gephry Pena, and designated hitter Tom Josten all voted to the 17-member preseason All-Conference team. UCF welcomes 18 newcomers, including 11 true freshmen.

UCF leads the all-time series with Siena 61-3, and has won 23 straight. The Saints most recent victory with a 7-4 triumph on Feb. 16, 2013.