Northeast Conference Baseball Preview: Fairleigh Dickinson at Wagner

NEW HAMBURG, N.Y. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum will meet under forecasted rainy skies and chilly temperatures Friday when Fairleigh Dickinson visits Wagner in a Northeast Conference matchup at Heritage Financial Park.

First pitch is scheduled for the afternoon, with temperatures expected around 39 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Knights (2-5) enter having snapped a five-game skid with a 4-3 walk-off win over Iona on Wednesday. Key performer Hunter Ray provided the decisive blow with a two-run home run. Ray, a right fielder, is batting .333 (7-for-21) over his last seven games and leads the team with that clutch homer and two RBIs from the midweek victory.

The Seahawks (1-8) are looking to halt a three-game losing streak after dropping a high-scoring series at Maryland. Their lone win came on Feb. 22, a 6-4 victory at UC Riverside. A player to watch for Wagner is reliever Vincent Corso, who has been effective in limited work. The right-hander has not allowed a hit or an earned run over his last 3 2/3 innings pitched, striking out two.

Both teams have struggled on the mound overall this season. Fairleigh Dickinson’s staff allowed 40 runs during its recent five-game losing streak before Wednesday’s strong pitching performance. Wagner’s pitching has been taxed, surrendering 10 or more runs in six of its nine games.

Statistical projections offer a conflicting outlook. The Interstat game simulator predicts a 4-1 victory for Fairleigh Dickinson. However, the same service’s ELO rating system gives Wagner a 66.4% probability to win.

The game opens a three-game NEC series between the schools. They will meet again at Wagner on Saturday and Sunday.