Baseball Begins Season With Four-Game Weekend at Northeast Challenge

Baseball Begins Season With Four-Game Weekend at Northeast Challenge

2020 BASEBALL SEASON PREIVEW

BRONXVILLE, N.Y. – The Concordia College New York baseball team begins its 2020 season with a four-game slate at the Northeast Challenge in Myrtle Beach, S.C., taking on Molloy College in a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 21 before facing off against Stonehill College on Saturday, Feb. 22 and Pace University on Sunday, Feb. 23.

Match Information: Molloy
Date: Friday, February 21, 2020 | 10:30 a.m./1:30 p.m.
Location: Myrtle Beach, S.C.
All-Time Series: Concordia leads 28-21 
Last Time: Molloy, 17-10/Concordia, 13-6 (Mar. 16, 2019)
Media Coverage: Live Stats

Match Information: Stonehill
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2020 | 11 a.m.
Location: Myrtle Beach, S.C.
All-Time Series: Stonehill leads 9-1 
Last Time: Stonehill, 4-1/Stonehill 6-5 (Mar. 3, 2019)

Match Information: Pace
Date: Sunday, February 23, 2020 | 12 p.m.
Location: Myrtle Beach, S.C.
All-Time Series: Pace leads 9-7-1 
Last Time: Pace, 15-3 (Mar. 23, 2017)

About the Clippers
Concordia returns to action following a 13-34 campaign in 2019, going 8-24 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) play.

The Clippers hit .293 (442-1506) as a team last season with a .398 slugging percentage off the strength of 87 doubles, 11 triples and 16 home runs while tallying 307 runs scored, 275 RBI and 200 walks. Highlighted by National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-East Region Second Team recipient and 2019 CACC All-Conference Second Team member Joseph Impeduglia (Staten Island, N.Y.), Concordia returns seven position players who saw action in at least 30 contests last year. Impeduglia led the Clippers' offense in 2019 behind 40 RBI, 35 walks, seven home runs and a .522 slugging percentage while representing the top returner in hits with 49, doubles with 11 and on base percentage with a .443 rate while junior outfielder Jake Partridge (Bardonia, N.Y.) stole a team-best 14 bases last year and junior shortstop Blake Burgan (Holbrook, N.Y.) registered two triples that tied for the team lead last spring.

On the mound, Concordia sported a team ERA of 7.95 with 241 strikeouts and 194 walks in 369.0 innings. The Clippers bring back nine arms that made double-digit mound appearances last year, including senior RHP Michael Romano (Yonkers, N.Y.) who tossed a team-leading 51.2 innings and senior righty Enrico Locascio (Staten Island, N.Y.) who fanned a team-best 32 batters on top of three wins. Senior RHP Connor Stapleton (Staten Island, N.Y.) recorded all four of Concordia's saves in 2019, while senior RHP Patrick Rivera (Elmont, N.Y.) made a team-high 19 appearances and senior RHP Jacob Bannon (Glendale, N.Y.) held a 517 ERA.

About the Lions
Molloy kicks off the new year after going 17-27 during 2019 with a 14-14 mark in East Coast Conference (ECC) action.

The Lions hit .287 (421-1469) as a team last season with a .390 slugging percentage off the strength of 81 doubles, 10 triples and 17 home runs while tallying 257 runs scored, 235 RBI and 159 walks. James Messina enters his senior season at Molloy after cracking the top-10 in the ECC with the sixth-best batting average (.349) and ninth-most triples (three) on top of a team-best 59 hits and 38 runs that both placed 12th in the league. Sean Hogan drew a team-high 20 walks last spring, with Chris Peralta blasting a team-best four runs in 2019 and three triples that matched Messina for the team lead.

On the mound, Molloy sported a team ERA of 5.83 with 290 strikeouts and 174 walks in 373.2 innings. ECC Preseason Pitcher of the Year Timothy Panetta highlights the Lions' returners on the mound after leading the team with 69 strikeouts and five victories over 67.0 innings. Billy Wilderman held a team-low 3.43 ERA over 57.2 innings.

About the Skyhawks
Stonehill opens its 2020 docket following a 22-25 campaign, going 13-14 in the Northeast 10 Conference (NE10)

The Skyhawks hit .269 (425-1578) as a team last season with a .365 slugging percentage off the strength of 65 doubles, 16 triples and 18 home runs while tallying 269 runs scored, 234 RBI and 167 walks. Reigning NE10 Freshman Hitter of the Year and 2020 NCBWA Preseason All-First Team member Aidan Wilde represents the top returner in the batter's box for Stonehill, recording a .313 batting average that leads the returners with 50 hits, 35 runs scored, 26 walks, eight doubles and three triples. John Orzechowski stole a team-best 15 bases last season, while Rod Duarte tied for the team lead with four home runs.

On the mound, Stonehill sported a team ERA of 5.20 with 334 strikeouts and 185 walks in 389.2 innings. Michael White enters his senior season after leading the team with six victories while recording a 3.72 ERA over 65.1 innings pitched with 58 strikeouts which leads the returners. Eddie Magi made a team-high 16 mound appearances in 2019, with Jeremiah Vargas recording a team-leading three saves.

About the Setters
Ranked seventh in the NCBWA's Preseason East Region Poll, Pace enters the 2020 campaign following a 31-15 outing last spring with a 17-9 mark in NE10 action.

The Setters hit .281 (428-1522) as a team last season with a .370 slugging percentage off the strength of 66 doubles, 15 triples and 13 home runs while tallying 247 runs scored, 213 RBI and 200 walks. 2019 NE10 All-Conference Third Team honoree Dean DePreta tallied a team-best 30 RBI, 16 stolen bases, 13 doubles and four triples on top of 28 runs scored and a .297 batting average.

On the mound, Pace sported a team ERA of 3.06 with 378 strikeouts and 136 walks in 403.0 innings. Reigning NE10 All-Conference Third Team member Thomas Ippolito returns after going 6-1 on the mound with a 2.04 ERA in 66.1 innings over 11 appearances with 56 strikeouts and an opposing batting average of .176. 2019 NE10 All-Rookie team selection Miachael Roll enters his sophomore season following a 2-1 2019 campaign with 36 strikeouts in 32.1 innings.

Up Next
The baseball team begins its nine-game Florida trip on Saturday, Feb. 29 against Stonehill College with first pitch set for 2:30 p.m.

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