LIVE STATS | VIDEO | 2021 Schedule | 2021 Roster
BALTIMORE-- UMBC baseball returns to the diamond nearly a year since the pandemic canceled the season last March. The Retrievers finished the shortened season at 3-10, winning two of their last three games. UMBC returns a slew of veteran talent for second-year head coach Liam Bowen as the Retrievers look to get back to the America East Tournament for the first time since 2018.
Fans are not permitted to attend games on the UMBC campus at this time.
Delaware State Series Info:
What: UMBC Retrievers (0-0) vs. Delaware State Hornets (0-1)
Where: Alumni Field - Baltimore, Md.
When: Saturday-Sunday, March 6-7 - Saturday single game at 3 p.m., Sunday doubleheader at 1 p.m.
How to Watch: Live stream on AmericaEast.TV, live stats at UMBCRetrievers.com
Social Media: @umbcbaseball, #RetrieverNation, #AEBASE
Quick Hits on 2020:
-The Retrievers come into 2021 after a shortened 2020 season that saw them finish 3-10, winning two of their last three including the last UMBC home game before the shutdown. UMBC picked up a 9-8 win against Stetson in late February and then defeated Penn State (10-5) and Coppin State (4-2) to end the season.
-As a team, the Retrievers batted .227 with 97 hits and 50 runs scored. The team collected 26 doubles, four triples, and two home runs with 15 stolen bases in just 13 games.
Newcomers:
-The Retrievers have added 15 newcomers for the 2021 season, adding strength to the pitching staff and providing depth to both the infield and outfield.
-Of the 15 newcomers, six freshmen will be suiting up for the Black and Gold including Luke Trythall (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville), Chris Liang (Bradenton, Fla.), Zach Dzarnowski (Chesapeake, Va.), Luke Johnson (Lewes, Del.), Joe Pucek (Morristown, N.J.), and Drew Roberts (Matthews, N.C.).The other nine newcomers come to Baltimore with experience at both the junior college and four-year levels.
Key Returners:
-UMBC will return a slew of veteran talent including former America East Rookie of the Year Christian Torres (Miami, Fla.). Torres batted .271 last year with six doubles, two triples and one home run, and a team-best 10 RBI. He will anchor an infield that returns all but one regular starter. Fifth-year senior Ryan Brown (Hagerstown, Md./St. James) comes back to lead an outfield that has a number of guys vying for playing time. Brown played in all 13 games last year with 10 hits and one home run.
-Dmitri Floyd (Dover, Del.) played primarily in the DH spot last year but will battle for time behind the plate after leading the team with a .343 average going 12 for 35 from the dish. Dylan Wilkinson (Fairfax, Va.) and Michael Cilio (Chester, N.J.) were also key cogs in the infield playing in all 13 games last year.
-On the mound, Keegan Leffler (Wilton, N.Y.) returns after hurling a 1.17 ERA in eight appearances out of the bullpen. Reid Celata (Virginia Beach, Va.), Joe Nestel (Drexel Hill, Pa.), Gabe Delgado (Ellicott City, Md./Howard), and Kieran Garner (Clarksville, Md./River Hill) all return after starting three games with Nestel leading the staff with 16 strikeouts in 16.1 innings of work. UMBC loses just one pitcher from last year that saw action and has added an abundance of talent on the pitching staff.
Scouting the Hornets:
-Delaware State is coming off a 10-6 season-opening loss to La Salle on Tuesday in Philadelphia. The Hornets got out to a 3-0 lead after the top half of the first, but the Explorers scored a pair in each of the next five innings to take a 10-3 lead.
-Miguel Rivera led the team with a pair of hits in three at-bats. Tyler Cunningham led the way with three RBI off of a triple in the first inning.
All-Time Series:
-The Hornets and Retrievers have met 30 times prior to this weekend with the Retrievers leading the series 19-11. This will be the first time the two have played since the 2019 season where UMBC won two of three at Blandair Park in Columbia, Md. Since 2014, the Retrievers have won four of the last six matchups and have lost just once at home since 1994 against the Hornets.
On Deck:
-The Retrievers will head to George Mason on Friday, March 12 before hosting a pair against St. Bonaventure on Saturday and finishing up at home against George Mason on Sunday.
