Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Big Conference Series Set for Friday
3/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 22, 2005
Coming off of a 2-2 week Florida Atlantic University's baseball team hopes to improve on its 4-2 Atlantic Sun record this weekend when Stetson University visits FAU Stadium. The Hatters enter the weekend with a 14-9, 3-3 A-Sun record.
After taking two games in a three-game series from Mercer University last weekend the Hatters are 3-4 in the last seven contests.
Chris Johnson leads the team and conference with a .473 batting average. John Destefano leads the conference with 30 RBI and is tied with Braedyn Pruitt and Nick Palmisano for the team lead with five home runs. As a team the Hatters lead the A-Sun with a batting average of .338.
Possible starters for the weekend are Ryan Dixon, Chris Ingoglia and Cy McCuen. Dixon holds a 4.41 ERA and leads the staff with 30 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings. Boynton Beach native, Ingoglia has made three starts this season and holds a 4.80 ERA. Senior Cy McCuen has started five games this season and is holding opponents to a .264 batting average while carrying a 4.28 ERA.
FAU is lead by freshman Mike McKenna who is hitting .375 with three home runs and 14 RBI. The team is hitting .267 coming off of a weekend conference series at Campbell. The Camels took two games from FAU.
With the second best ERA in the A-Sun, the pitching staff is expected to send Mike Crotta, Chris Salberg and Will Mann out to face the potent Stetson offense. Crotta (4-1) posted four straight wins on the season and holds a 2.77 ERA with a team-leading 27 strikeouts. Lefthander Salberg, who has not allowed a run in his last 17 2/3 innings on the mound, is expected to work the second game of the doubleheader on Friday. The Rockford, IL native holds a 2-2 record with a 3.06 ERA. Also holding a 2-2 record is junior Will Mann. Man holds a 4.21 ERA and opponents are batting .285 against the righthander.
Stetson leads the all-time series 28-23. The two teams last meet in the A-Sun Tournament in 2004, when FAU took a 15-1 win over the Hatters to hand the team its first lost of the tournament.
Friday's doubleheader is scheduled to start at 3 pm with game two to follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest. Saturday's start is set for 1 pm. Fans can follow live game action by clicking on the gametracker link at www.fausports.com.
