After a weekend split, the College of Staten Island baseball team will continue their non-conference slate this afternoon with a non-conference matchup with Kean University. Originally scheduled to be played at CSI, the game will be played on Kean’s Union campus as rehabilitation to CSI’s field is ongoing. CSI is looking to get over the .500 mark today while Kean is looking to stay red-hot on their home field.
CSI vs. KEAN UNIVERSITY
Matchup: College of Staten Island (4-4) vs. Kean (10-5)
Where: Kean University – 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ
All-Time Series: Kean leads, 33-8
Last Meeting: March 25, 2018, Kean won, 9-8
Players to Watch (CSI): Domenick Castiglione leads the Dolphins in hitting but was sidelined this past weekend and will be a game time decision this afternoon. Junior Jett Nouvertne is next in line for CSI, batting an even .400, tied for the team lead with eight runs scored and is ahead of the back with four triples on the young season. Sean Becker has moved his batting average to .389, adding six extra-base hits to improve his slugging percentage to .778. Nicholas Meola is the other Dolphins player batting over .300, as he sits at .304, pacing the unit with eight RBI through eight games. The Dolphins have employed a pitcher-by-committee system so far this season. John Esposito leads the starting rotation with 9 innings tossed, with a 1-0 record and a 2.00 ERA.
Players to Watch (Kean): The Cougars have six players batting over .300 this season, led by the hot bat of Nick Polizzano, who is at .396 with 10 RBI. Frank LoGuidice leads the team with 13 RBI on a .393 average, with five hits for extra bags, all doubles. John Carello has shown great power, putting up a .333 mark with six doubles, a triple, and a homer, leading the way with 15 runs scored. He also leads the team with 13 walks this season, improving his on-base percentage to a gaudy .500. On the mound, Bruce Weyand is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA through eight innings. Tyler Hopman has thrown the most with 32 innings tossed, with a 1-2 record and a 4.13 ERA.
News & Notes: Kean and CSI has one of the longest non-conference rivalries going, and it’s a series that has been paced by the Cougars as they have taken 33 of the 41 overall meetings, including 11 in a row dating back to the 2008 season. Kean has outscored CSI, 99-23, in that stretch, but last season, CSI was almost able to reverse the tide, falling just short in extra innings, 9-8. It was the closest game in the series since CSi was able to sneak out a 6-5 win in 2007. All-time Kean is 21-3 at home against CSI, and they have won 11 in a row at home in the series with CSI’s last win here coming in 1997, 17-5. Those numbers bode well for Kean, as they are playing very well at home this season, posting a record of 7-2. Kean had won four in a row at home before a tough, 4-3, loss on Sunday against St. John Fisher College. Today is also CSI’s first true game on the road. They played their first five games on neutral territory in South Carolina and played their last three on neutral site “home” fields at Staten Island Tech High School and Curtis High School.
