ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany baseball team is set to host Maine for their home opener. First pitch of game one is scheduled for Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. from Varsity Field. 
 
Series Info
Game 1- Friday, March 29
Varsity Field – Albany, N.Y.
3:00 pm E.T.
Live Stats | Stream
 
Game 2- Friday, March 30
Varsity Field – Albany, N.Y.
1:00 pm E.T.
Live Stats | Stream
 
Game 3- Sunday, March 31
Varsity Field – Albany, N.Y.
12:00 pm E.T.
Live Stats | Steam
 
Probable Starters – UAlbany
Game 1: Ryan Pittz – RHP | So. | 6-1 | 160 | 4.76 ERA
Game 2: TBD
Game 3: TBD
 
Probable Starters – Maine
Game 1: Gianni Gambardella – RHP | So. | 6-2 | 185 | 7.34 ERA
Game 2: Jason Krieger – RHP | Fr. | 6-4 | 185 | 4.50 ERA
Game 3: TBD
 
Leading the Pack

• Starting every game this season, Will Binder leads the offense with a .345 batting average, a .439 on-base percentage, and eight RBIs.
• Jared Toby has brought power to the lineup with six extra-base hits, including a team-high three home runs.
• In addition to patrolling center field, Luke Filippi has 12 hits on the season.
• Ryan Pittz has led the pitching staff this season, owning a 4.76 ERA through 11.1 innings pitched.
• The pitching staff has amassed an 11.72 ERA over 121.1 innings, with an opposing batting average of .338.

 
March Matchness
The University at Albany's annual March Matchness giving challenge is back. This year, baseball has a goal of raising $12,500 over the next week. Every donation made could be matched not just once, but twice! All of the money raised goes directly to our program. If you would like to donate click here.
 
Season Review

• UAlbany owns a 1-15 record while going 1-1 in conference play.
• Opening their season against #9 Tennessee (2.23-25), the Great Danes narrowly fell 5-8 in game one before being defeated 6-21 and 0-12.
• Traveling to George Washington (3.1-3), UAlbany lost the first two games with the Revolutionaries completing the sweep, winning 3-5 in game three.
• The Great Danes fell in all four games at Purdue (3.9-10) before falling to Army (3.13) in heartbreaking fashion.
• UAlbany was swept in a three-game series at Georgetown (3.15-17).
• Most recently, the Great Danes split a doubleheader against UMass Lowell (2.22) to open conference play.
• Will Binder leads the team with 19 hits followed by Jared Toby and Luke Filippi with 12. 
• Binder has tallied a team-best eight extra-base hits, including seven doubles and a home run.
• Toby owns a team-best 10 RBIs.
• Owen Birkman leads all qualified pitchers with an 11.14 ERA through 21 innings pitched.

 
Heating Up

• Will Binder continued his hot stretch at the plate, hitting .429 in last weekend's doubleheader with two doubles and three runs.
• Luke Filippi tallied three RBIs against UMass Lowell.
• Luke Myers recorded three hits, two walks, an RBI, and a run last weekend.  
• Matthew Mariano pitched seven innings, only allowing one run, while striking out three batters.
• Kyle McCaffrey pitched two shutout innings, striking out two, while only allowing one hit.

 
Scouting Maine
The Black Bears have started the season with a 4-16 record while going 1-2 in conference play.

• Beginning their season on the road, Maine lost their first four contests with a three-game sweep at the hands of Pitt (2.16-17) and a loss to Stetson (2.23).
• Following a win over Fordham (2.25), the Black Bears were swept by Winthrop (3.2-3) in a three-game set.
• After falling in the first two games of the series against Bethune-Cookman (3.8-10), Maine won the final contest of the series.
• The Black Bears closed out non-conference with a four-game losing streak, falling to South Florida (3.13) and Florida Atlantic (3.15-17) in a three-game series.
• Opening conference play at Bryant (3.22-24), Maine lost the first two games before claiming game three, 1-0.  
• Most recently, the Black Bears defeated Husson (3.27), 11-4, in a midweek matchup.
• Zac Martin has led the way at the plate with a team-high .333 batting average and seven doubles.
• Jeremiah Jenkins has provided power to Maine's lineup as he leads the team with nine home runs and 19 RBIs.
• Jason Krieger holds a team-best 4.50 ERA through 28 innings while striking out 21 batters.

 
Leading the League
The Great Danes have leaders in eight of the hitting categories, six of the pitching categories, and three of the fielding categories.

• Will Binder
  • 3rd – .345 batting average
  • T4th – 7 doubles
  • 7th – .439 on-base percentage
  • 8th – .966 OPS
  • 10th – .527 slugging percentage
  • 15th – 29 assists
• Jared Toby
  • T6th – 5 hit by pitch
  • T10th – 3 home runs
• John Vitucci
  • T6th – 2 sacrifice bunts
• Matthew Mariano
  • 2nd – 24 hits allowed
  • T4th – 9 walks allowed
  • 13th – 22 runs allowed
  • T13th – 22 earned runs allowed
  • T13th – 3 batters struck out looking
• Owen Birkman
  • 15th – .302 opposing batting average
  • 8th – 26 hits allowed
  • 11th – 15 walks allowed
• Levi McAllister
  • T2nd – 5 runners caught stealing
• Ryan Ferremi
  • 9th – 85 putouts

 
2024 Captains
Will Binder, Connor Eisenmann, and Cregg Scherrer will serve as the captains for the Great Danes during the 2024 season. Binder enters his third season with UAlbany after starting his collegiate career at LaSalle. Since joining the Great Danes, he has started in 89 games and has a .325 batting average. Eisenmann returns to UAlbany for his fourth season. Through 37 appearances for the Great Danes, he has recorded a 5.93 ERA with 121 strikeouts and a .254 batting average against. Scherrer is a redshirt senior from Skaneateles, N.Y., entering his fifth season with the team. Appearing in 44 games, including 34 starts, Scherrer has struck out 195 batters and owns a 5.73 ERA.
 
2024 America East Preseason Poll

• UAlbany was picked to finish seventh in the 2024 America East Preseason Poll, earning eight points.
• The Bearcats were picked to finish first in the conference with 35 points, including five first-place votes.
• Maine, the defending champions, followed closely behind with 31 points and two first-place votes.
• UMBC (26) placed third, NJIT (19) fourth, and Bryant (18) fifth.
• UMass Lowell (10) and UAlbany rounded out the poll.

 
America East Standings
UMBC sits on top of the conference table after going undefeated in conference play through three games. Bryant trails close behind with two wins and a sole loss. UMass Lowell and UAlbany are tied for third place after splitting a doubleheader to earn a 1-1 conference record. Binghamton has two wins in six games for a .333 conference win percentage. NJIT and Maine round out the conference with a 1-2 record.
 
America East Contests This Week

• Thursday
  • Binghamton at Middle Tennessee, 7:00 pm
• Friday
  • UMBC at Bryant, 3:00 pm
  • Maine at UAlbany, 3:00 pm
  • Binghamton at Middle Tennessee, 5:00 pm
  • UMass Lowell at NJIT, 6:30 pm
• Saturday
  • UMBC at Bryant, 12:00 pm
  • Maine at UAlbany, 1:00 pm
  • UMass Lowell at NJIT, 2:00 pm
  • Binghamton at Middle Tennessee, 2:00 pm
  • UMBC at Bryant, 3:00 pm
• Sunday
  • Maine at UAlbany, 12:00 pm
  • UMass Lowell at NJIT, 1:00 pm

                       
Up Next: The Great Danes will face off against their crosstown rivals, Siena, in a midweek matchup, Tuesday at 3 pm.
 
Keep up with all the latest news, highlights, and insights on UAlbany baseball by following the team on X (@UAlbanybaseball), Instagram (@ualbanybaseball), and Facebook (UAlbany Baseball).