CU Baseball Preview - at Rensselaer (4/28-29)

Just two series remain in the regular season conference schedule for the Clarkson University Baseball team, and this weekend's four-game set against Rensselaer will go a long way in determining the Golden Knights' post-season plans.

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The Series: Over the last five years, Clarkson and Rensselaer have played essentially event, with the Golden Knights winning seven and RPI gaining 10 victories. The Engineers won three of four during the 2017 campaign and ended Clarkson's season in the Liberty League Tournament in both 2015 and 2016.

Key Stats for Clarkson (11-13 overall, 6-8 Liberty League): The Knights' offense got rolling a little on Tuesday with season-highs for runs (14) and hits (18) against RIT, but Clarkson still has the lowest on-base percentage (.343) and slugging percentage (.342) in the conference, tying for the least home runs (two) in the league. As a pitching staff, however, Clarkson has allowed just a .336 on-base percentage to opponents in 186 innings, thanks to just 60 free bases via walk or hit by pitch. Clarkson ranks third nationally in walks per nine (2.03) and is sixth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.60). Will Coleman is tied for 15th in the country with a 10-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio and has a 1.36 earned run average in 33 innings pitched. Andrew Smith has also given up just three free passes in 30.2 innings en route to a 3.52 earned run average.

Key Stats for Rensselaer (15-16 overall, 8-7 Liberty League): The Engineers' pitching staff ranks 34th in the country in strikeouts per nine, having whiffed 246 hitters in 258.2 innings this year. The strikeouts have ended many rallies by the opposition, though, as RPI has allowed 172 batters to reach without a hit (125 walks, 47 hit by pitch). Starter Brendan McNerney is the perfect example for Rensselaer in this regard, as the junior has struck out 60 and allowed only 29 hits in 41.1 innings, but walked 30 in those frames. Erick Zecha also has struck out 40 in 45 innings. The pitching staff has allowed a .372 on-base percentage, but in general they are very difficult to square up, with only a .337 slugging percentage allowed. On offense, Ethann Meister is hitting .320/.370/.556 with 17 extra-base hits and 25 runs batted in, and Noah Normyle is clubbing .354/.468/.415, with the on-base percentage ranking sixth in the league.

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Players Mentioned

#8 Will Coleman: RHP/UT; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R

#2 Andrew Smith: RHP; 5' 10"; Sophomore; R/R

Players Mentioned

#8 Will Coleman
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R/R
: RHP/UT

#2 Andrew Smith
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; R/R
: RHP

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

#8 Will Coleman

#2 Andrew Smith

Players Mentioned

#8 Will Coleman

#2 Andrew Smith