Preview: Massachusetts at Albany Baseball

ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum will meet Tuesday when the Massachusetts Minutemen visit the Albany Great Danes for a non-conference afternoon game at Varsity Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. under cloudy skies with a game-time temperature near 38 degrees.

Both clubs enter with struggling overall records. Massachusetts (5-10) has lost eight of its last 10 games, including a 9-8 walk-off defeat to Kent State on Sunday. Albany (3-14) has shown recent life, winning three of its last five after a 1-12 start.

The Minutemen will look to catcher Will Briggs to power their offense. Briggs is coming off a historic performance Sunday, going 3 for 4 with three home runs and three RBIs in the loss to Kent State. For the season, he leads UMass with four home runs.

The Great Danes will counter with a pitching staff anchored by reliever Matthew Mariano, a player to watch for Albany. Mariano has been dominant in his last four appearances, spanning 15 2/3 innings, without allowing a hit. He earned the win in relief in Sunday’s 10-3 victory at NJIT, throwing three hitless innings.

Albany’s recent uptick includes a series win at NJIT last weekend. Massachusetts, meanwhile, is in the midst of a 10-game road trip and has allowed 8.6 runs per game during its 2-8 slide.

According to Interstat, Albany is projected as a slight favorite with a 56% win probability. The same service’s game simulator predicts a low-scoring affair, projecting a 2-1 victory for the Great Danes.

This is the only scheduled meeting between the programs this season. Following Tuesday’s contest, Massachusetts continues its road swing with a three-game series at Western Michigan beginning Friday. Albany will open a three-game home series against Maryland-Baltimore County on Friday.