Five Things to Know: Baseball Travels to Ohio for Saturday Twin Bill

Games 34-35
Canisius (17-16) at Ohio (16-17)
Date: Saturday, April 23
Times: 12 p.m. | 3 p.m.
Location: Athens, Ohio | Bob Wren Stadium
Video: YouTube
Live Stats: Through GoBobcats.com
Instagram: @GriffsBaseball | #Griffs | #MAACBaseball
Twitter: @GriffsBaseball | #Griffs | #MAACBaseball

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. First Pitch
Canisius continues its string of four consecutive non-conference games this afternoon as it plays Ohio in Athens, Ohio.

First pitch for the opening game of the twin bill is slated for noon at Bob Wren Stadium.

2. 0 to 100, Real Quick
With a victory Saturday, Canisius head coach Matt Mazurek would earn his 100th career coaching victory.

He would become Canisius' third head coach to eclipse the century mark in wins, joining Mike McRae (405) and Don Colploys (325).

If Mazurek reaches the 100-win plateau Saturday, he would be the fastest head coach to register 100 wins (195), besting his predecessor McRae (232).

3. Series History
Canisius and Ohio are meeting for the eighth and ninth times Saturday. It is the first time the teams are playing since March 2013.

The Griffs hold a 4-3 record over the Bobcats after earning a four-game sweep in the 2013 series. Ohio won the previous three games over the Griffs back in 2003.

Current assistant coach Garrett Cortright recorded his first collegiate shutout in the opening game of the 2013 series. He allowed six hits, walked two and struck out two in his nine-inning outing.

Canisius hit three homers in the second game of the series, scoring the final six runs of the game, earning a doubleheader sweep, 10-7.

The Griffs broke an 8-8 tie with an eight-run ninth to defeat Ohio, 16-8, ensuring the series victory. Jimmy Luppens went 3-for-5 with three home runs — matching the program record — and eight RBI.

Canisius completed the four-game sweep with a 6-2 win behind a 4-for-4 performance by Christian Segar.

4. Thank You, Next
First-year pitching coach Jeremy Hileman has played a pivotal role in Canisius' success on the mound this season.

In his first year on Main Street, Hileman has helped produce a strikeout total that ranks in the top-10 for a single season. The team has struck out 306 batters in 280.2 innings, which ranks 10th in program history.

As a pitching staff, Canisius has posted 16 games with a double-digit strikeout total, including a streak that featured five consecutive games with at least 11 punchouts.

Canisius' strikeout-per-9-inning ratio stands at 9.81, leading the MAAC and ranking 50th nationally. This year's figure is an increase of 1.96 from last year's 7.85 total. The 9.81 figure is currently a program record – besting an 8.50 mark set in 1964.

5. Duffy's Rapid Ascent in Record Book
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Matt Duffy is rapidly ascending in the Canisius pitching record book this season.

The Burlington, Ontario, native has struck out 74 batters over his nine outings so far this season. The 74 punchouts already ranks eighth in program history.

In his next outing, Duffy can climb the leaderboard rather quickly.

With his next strikeout, Duffy would match John Axford (2006) and Devon Stewart (2015) for the sixth-most strikeouts in a season by a Canisius pitcher (75). Retiring two more opposing batters on strikes would tie him with Cortright, who logged a pair of 76-strikeout seasons in 2012 and 2013.

Duffy is 11 strikeouts from matching Joe Mamott (85 in 1994) for the third-most strikeouts in program history. Only Mark West (99 in 2000) and J.P. Stevenson (93 in 2018) are ahead of Mamott on the strikeout list.

For complete coverage of Canisius baseball, please follow @GriffsBaseball on Instagram and Twitter.

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Players Mentioned

#14 Matt Duffy: RHP; 6' 1"; Freshman; L/R

Players Mentioned

#14 Matt Duffy
: 6' 1"; Freshman; L/R
: RHP

Players Mentioned

#14 Matt Duffy

Players Mentioned

#14 Matt Duffy