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Clarkson University Athletics

CU Baseball Preview - vs. Rensselaer (4/28-29)

By: April 27, 2019
ScurrahJake2019act1

Men's Baseball | 4/27/2019 7:30:00 AM

Moved to Sunday and Monday if the weather holds, the Clarkson University Baseball team and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will renew a lengthy rival with a four-game set at Jack Phillips Stadium.

Live Stats/Live Video

The Series: One would think with rain outs that there would be no way that Clarkson and RPI could have met 40 times in the last decade, but conference tournament matchups and NCAA meetings have pushed it to that total. Clarkson has won 15 times against the Engineers 25 victories in that stretch, winning its two Liberty League titles on RPI's home turf in 2009 and 2011. The Engineers have gotten the better of Clarkson in the postseason more recently, sending Clarkson to defeat in the 2015 and 2016 league tournaments. Last year, the two teams split a four-game set with each team scoring just nine runs in the series.

Key Stats for Clarkson (16-12, 10-4 Liberty League): After ripping three doubles in three straight at bats on Tuesday against Bard College, Brad Pearson has now ripped 16 two-baggers, only the fourth player in program history to reach that total in a single season. Pearson ranks in the top five nationally in doubles per game at 0.62 and ranks first in the conference in runs scored (31). Classmate Vincent Granuzzo is quietly having a solid year at the plate as well. Despite missing a handful of games recently, Granuzzo leads the conference in on-base percentage at .488 and is fifth in the league in batting average (.389).  The Knights rank second in the league in earned run average at 4.68, but when considering only league games, that number drops nearly a full run to 3.73. The Knights have also scored more runs (111) and more runs per game (7.93) than any other team in the league.

Key Stats for Rensselaer (14-14, 10-6 Liberty League): Clarkson and the Engineers are good comps for one another, as the two teams are similar in regards to scoring via on-base percentage over straight mashing, and solid pitching by committee rather than one or two top of the rotation pitchers. A decade ago, the Engineers always had several mashers, but the current crop of RPI players is a little more pedestrian in numbers, collectively hitting .285/.381/.368. That doesn't mean the top and middle of the order can't do damage, however, as Cole Paquin (.366/.454/.451) and Jake Defayette (.362/.460/.493) are among the conference leaders in on-base percentage. On the mound, the Engineers have two solid starters and one ace reliever. Christopher Palmiero has struck out 22 hitters in 37.1 innings of work, posting a 2.17 earned run average and impressive WHIP of 1.19. Ryan Yerby also has whiffed 28 hitters in 34.1 innings with an earned run average of 2.88. Reliever Michael Costello has pitched in half of the Engineers games, tossing a total of 25.1 innings with a 2.49 earned run average and 1.24 WHIP.



 
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Players Mentioned

Vincent Granuzzo

#29 Vincent Granuzzo

LHP/IF
6' 1"
Senior
R/L
Brad Pearson

#25 Brad Pearson

C
5' 11"
Senior
L/R

Players Mentioned

Vincent Granuzzo

#29 Vincent Granuzzo

6' 1"
Senior
R/L
LHP/IF
Brad Pearson

#25 Brad Pearson

5' 11"
Senior
L/R
C