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Canisius University Athletics

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Jake Burlingame
Dean Bogart
12
Siena SIE 4-13
14
Winner Canisius CAN 6-15
Siena SIE
4-13
12
Final
14
Canisius CAN
6-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Siena SIE 1 0 1 0 6 0 4 0 0 12 13 2
Canisius CAN 5 0 0 1 0 6 2 0 X 14 18 0

W: Frank, Will (1-0) L: D'Anna, Dylan (0-4)

Game Recap: Baseball |

High-Powered Offense Gives Baseball Home-Opening Win

Game Recap
After a five-run first inning gave the Canisius baseball team an early advantage, the Golden Griffins eventually had to retake the lead from Siena in the seventh to earn a 14-12 victory Saturday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
The game improved the Golden Griffins to 6-15 on the season, while the Saints went to 4-13 in 2019. The contest served as the start to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play for both programs. 
 
Senior Joseph Preziuso and redshirt junior William Krull both mashed out a career-high four hits, while Krull and juniors Andy Leader and Jake Burlingame all blasted home runs in the Griffs' home opener. Matt Hamel led the Saints with three hits, including a double, and two RBI.
 
Siena opened the scoring in the top-half of the first, as Alex Milone doubled to bring in Devan Kruzinski.
 
Leader tied game on the first pitch he saw in the bottom half of the frame, as the Griffs' leadoff hitter drove a ball over the right-center fence for his first home run as a Griff. Krull and senior Conner Morro both singled to plate a run and make it 3-1 before Preziuso legged out a triple, scoring Krull and Morro for a 5-1 lead.
 
Hamel chipped away at the lead in the third when he singled to score Milone.
 
Junior Stephen Bennett reopened the gap to four runs in the fourth, bringing home junior Jacob Victor on a base knock.
 
The Saints took their second lead of the day when they put up six runs in the fifth, starting with a bases-loaded walk to Milone. The Saints added another when a wild pitch on a Hamel strikeout allowed Ryan McGee to come home. Tim Carroll tied the game at 6-6 with a two-run single, and a Kruzinski walk plated the go-ahead run. Siena added their eighth run of the day when Carroll scored on a passed ball.
 
It took an inning, but the Blue and Gold responded with their own six-run frame in the sixth. A Preziuso bases-loaded single, combined with a Siena fielding error, cleared the bags and put Canisius back in front. Leader then singled to score Preziuso, and Burlingame followed with a two-run shot to right field, extending the lead to 12-8.
 
Siena pulled even again in the seventh, as a Carson Dunkel single brought in a run before Brian Kelly singled home two more and Hamel drove in the tying run with a single himself.
 
Krull did not keep it tied for long, as the Canisius catcher led off the home-half of the seventh with a no-doubter over the netting in left field. Freshman Dylan Vincent later doubled and Bennett crossed home for an insurance run.
 
Junior Will Frank picked up the win for Canisius, allowing one hit and one run over three innings, while punching out three. Senior starter Andrew Sipowicz also struck out a career-best 10 hitters across four-plus innings of work despite being on the hook for five runs.
 
Reliever Dylan D'Anna was credited with the loss, allowing seven-runs in one-plus inning on the mound. Starter Tommy Miller allowed six runs in his five innings, giving up 11 hits and striking out seven Griffs.
 
Head Coach Matt Mazurek's Postgame Comments
"It's always good to get the first win of year at home, especially in conference play. It sets the tone moving forward and the true indicator will be how we respond tomorrow after getting the win (today).
 
"I think the lineups getting those hits and giving us that energy, fight backing when we got down and continuing to just keep taking the lead back was huge to keep our momentum up and give the pitchers hope that when they got out there to go 'we can do this.' We needed a zero and we got five today to help get us the W.
 
"Having power in the lineup is going to be big because it changes the game. Any time you can score multiple runs on one swing of the bat, it can be great for you and dire for the defense. That's something we've been working on, getting our guys to be more aggressive in certain spots and what they need to do and they did it today in those spots."­­
 
Game Notes
• This was the 134th all-time meeting between Canisius and Siena, as the Saints now hold an 81-53 edge.
• The Griffs have now won seven of their past 10 home openers. They are also 7-3 in the last 10 conference openers.
• Canisius has recorded 10-plus hits in three-straight games and six of the last nine.
• The Griffs have put up 10-plus runs on four occasions this season.
• 14 runs is the most for the Griffs in a home opener since a 24-12 win over Buffalo in 2012.
• The Blue and Gold have now opened three series this campaign with a win, beating Dayton and Kansas State in the first matchups in those series.
• Preziuso's three RBI are his most since driving in three against Saint Peter's on April 8, 2018.
• Frank's three innings pitched are a season high.
• Krull hit his first home run since May 6, 2018 at St. Bonaventure.
• It is the first multi-homer game for the Griffs since May 17, 2018 against Marist.
• The Griffs have recorded multiple steals in three-straight games.
• The 16 combined strikeouts are a season high for the Canisius pitching staff.
 
Up Next
Canisius closes out its MAAC-opening series with Siena on Sunday, March 24. The two teams will play a doubleheader starting at noon. Both games will be streamed on the Golden Griffin Broadcast Network.
 
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