LOUDONVILLE, NY – Fresh off the program's first winning month in seven years, Siena Baseball seeks to carry its momentum into May as the Saints begin the final month of play with a three-game weekend series vs. Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rival Canisius at Connors Park.
Originally scheduled for a standard three games over three days, the series was preemptively adjusted due to weather. The teams will now open with a doubleheader Friday beginning at noon, while aiming to wrap up the series Saturday at noon. The series-opener will be broadcast on Siena All-Access at sienasaints.com/watch, while the final two games are slated to be televised on ESPN+.
Siena (16-26, 12-9) enters the final month of the season – and final three MAAC series – in fourth place in the standings as they look to inch closer towards clinching the program's first postseason berth in four years. Following the league expansion to 13 teams last summer, the top-eight now qualify for the MAAC Tournament, while the top-four earn byes to the double elimination rounds.
The Saints seek to build off a 10-7 April which marked the program's first winning month since posting a 9-7 mark in May 2018. Moreover, the 16 overall wins are the program's most since winning 18 during the 2019 campaign, while their 12 league victories also mark the highest total since playing an exclusive 36-game regular season league schedule during the COVID-affected 2021 season (14). Additionally, Siena has won four consecutive MAAC series for the first time since capturing nine straight from April 2016 – April 2017.
The Saints success has been predicated on a strong weekend rotation and a burgeoning offensive attack.
On the mound,
Alistair Morin and
Noah Rodriguez have formed one of the top MAAC one-two punches over the past month. The staff ace, Morin has been solid and steady throughout the season, and enters the weekend ranked second in the MAAC in ERA (2.83), third in strikeouts (60), and fourth in opposing batting average (.225). Siena is a perfect 7-0 in MAAC series openers pitched by Morin. Meanwhile, Rodriguez has won three straight starts, lasting at least eight innings in each outing while pitching to the tune of a 2.88 ERA over 25 innings. Moreover, converted starter
Tyler Sausville has emerged to anchor the back end of the bullpen, pitching to a team-best 2.18 ERA spanning 10 appearances in conference action.
But the biggest barometer to the Siena improvement has come at the plate. After averaging 3.7 runs while hitting .230 over the team's first 21 games, the Saints have slugged to an average of 7.8 runs to the tune of a .313 average over the ensuing 21 games.
Aidan Paradine has led the offensive charge, putting up video game numbers during that stretch. Spanning the past 21 games, the red-shirt freshman catcher has hit a whopping .470 (39-83) with seven home runs and 25 RBI to go along with a ridiculous .819 slugging percentage and .551 on-base percentage to amass an amazing 1.370 OPS. Overall this season, Paradine enters the weekend leading the MAAC in on-base percentage (.503), while ranking second in batting average (.392), and fifth in OPS (1.111).
Piloting the turnaround has been
Alex Jurczynski who himself enters the weekend seeking a personal milestone. The second-year skipper is just one victory shy of 100 for his collegiate head coaching career. Jurczynski won 71 games over three seasons at nearby Hudson Valley Community College (2015-17), before taking over the reins of the Saints last season.
Meanwhile, perennial MAAC power Canisius (11-24, 8-12) arrives in Loudonville on the outside looking in to the MAAC playoff picture. The Golden Griffins begin May in ninth place, albeit only a half game back of both Mount St. Mary's and Niagara who are currently tied for the final two tournament spots. Just two games separate 6-10 in a tight middle of the MAAC Standings entering this weekend. Canisius is gaining momentum however, as they head into the weekend winners of four of their last five.
Siena will look to snap an 11-game losing streak to Canisius this weekend, having last won 8-3 on Apr. 14, 2017 in Loudonville.
