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Max Grant gets ready to field a ball at West Virginia
Marshall Haim

Baseball

Five Things to Know: Baseball to Renew Rivalry with St. Bonaventure

Game 29
Canisius (14-14) at St. Bonaventure (2-20)
Date: Tuesday, April 12
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Olean, N.Y. | Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field
Live Stats: Through GoBonnies.com
Instagram: @GriffsBaseball | #Griffs | #MAACBaseball
Twitter: @GriffsBaseball | #Griffs | #MAACBaseball
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
 
1. First Pitch
For the first time since 2018, the Canisius baseball team squares off against its longtime Western New York rival St. Bonaventure on Tuesday. First pitch for the midweek non-conference contest from Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field is scheduled for 3 p.m.
 
There will be no live video available of the contest.
 
2. Series History
Tuesday's contest will mark the 106th time that Canisius and St. Bonaventure are squaring off on the baseball diamond. The Bonnies hold a slight advantage in the series, 53-50-3, which dates back to 1954.
 
Canisius has a 16-5 record over the Bonnies in its last 21 games, going back to 2007. The Griffs have won each of the last four and seven of the last eight in the series.
 
3. Having a Grant Ole Time
Sophomore Max Grant was named to D1Baseball's Top 30 list for Division I second baseman on March 29. Grant came in ranked 26th and was the lone MAAC representative on the list.
 
His team-leading .413 batting average ranks as the second-highest by a Canisius player (minimum 100 ABs) in a season, trailing Kevin Vogel's .436 average in 1985.
 
Grant's career .401 batting average is eight at-bats shy of meeting the criteria to enter the NCAA and Canisius record books.
 
His average would rank second in Canisius history, trailing Vogel's .402 career clip. Grant would have the third-highest average by an active Division I player, trailing Jackson State's Ty Hill (.417) and James Madison's Chase DeLauter (.402).
 
4. Steffan Right Up
Graduate student Mike Steffan has been a force offensively for Canisius as of late, registering a .550 batting average in his last six games (11-of-20). During the stretch, he has had two doubles, three home runs and driven in 14 runs. He has also drawn five walks, been hit by four pitches and had three steals.
 
5. When It Wins, It Pours
In its 14 wins this season, Canisius has scored 144 runs (10.3 runs per game) compared to 44 runs in its 14 losses (3.1 per game).
 
Canisius has registered a double-digit win total in nine games and has scored at least 12 runs in five of its last six victories. As a team, the Griffs are batting at a .359 clip (69-of-192) in that stretch while posting an on-base percentage of .477 and a slugging percentage of .609, leading to a 1.086 OPS. Of the team's 69 hits in the span, 27 have gone for extra bases (15 doubles, three triples, nine home runs).
 
The seven wins with at least 12 runs scored is the most in a single season by a Canisius team since 2018 when the Griffs had nine such games.
 
For complete coverage of Canisius baseball, please follow @GriffsBaseball on Instagram and Twitter.
 
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Players Mentioned

Mike Steffan

#7 Mike Steffan

1B/OF
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
S/R
Max Grant

#8 Max Grant

C/3B
6' 0"
Freshman
L/R

Players Mentioned

Mike Steffan

#7 Mike Steffan

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
S/R
1B/OF
Max Grant

#8 Max Grant

6' 0"
Freshman
L/R
C/3B