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Staten Island, NY - Wagner (21-29) returns to action this weekend against Quinnipiac (14-35) with a Northeast Conference (NEC) playoff berth on the line as both teams sport identical 13-15 league records. For the Bobcats to get in they need to either win three games or take two and hope Monmouth wins or loses its series with Fairleigh Dickinson. The Seahawks are guaranteed a playoff spot with three wins or by splitting and having Monmouth split.

Quinnipiac has experienced a rebirth of sorts this year. After missing out on the NEC Tournament in each of the last two seasons, the Bobcats are on the precipice heading into the final weekend of league play. The Hamden-based school features a balanced offensive attack with five regulars hitting above .300 and have shown a flair for the dramatic as evidenced by its series-victory over CCSU and its series-split with Sacred Heart.

Whenever these teams get together you can throw out the records as the teams have split 16 meetings over the last four years with 14 of the games decided by three runs or less. Last season, each team scored 17 runs in splitting four games at the Bobcat Baseball Field. Two years ago, Wagner swept four games, despite scoring just 14 runs but limited Quinnipiac to seven runs. In 2007, the Seahawks suffered the cruelest of fates in dropping all four games on the road, including two via walk-off fashion.

Junior Ben Farina leads the way Bobcat offense with a .345 average and has team-highs in runs (41), hits (68) and doubles (16) while establishing himself as a viable All-NEC candidate. Sophomore Kyle Nisson is next up at .336 while serving as the team's primary catcher. He also has nine extra-base hits while throwing out 28.8 percent of runners on the base-paths. Junior Joe Poletsky is third on the squad at .321 while notching 59 hits, 12 doubles, two home runs and 35 RBI.

Serving as the team's primary power threat is Brian Monack, who has also achieved fame over the last few years for a pair of catches that cracked ESPN's Top-10. Besides playing an outstanding center field, he is batting .318 with a team-best seven home runs and 42 RBI while reaching base at a .408 clip. Rounding out the top hitters is sophomore Chris Migani, who checks in with a .305 average with seven doubles and five home runs while driving in 29.

Like Wagner, Quinnipiac has struggled to find consistency on the mound. Fifth-year senior RHP Mike Oskandy will toe the mound in game one and is 2-6 with a 6.72 ERA while striking out 37 and walking 33 over a team-best 71.0 innings. In Saturday's doubleheader, junior RHP Kyle Birdsall (4-4; 4.71 ERA; 40 K; 20 BB; 57.1 IP) and sophomore RHP Anthony Cinelli (3-4; 5.20 ERA; 14 K; 12 BB) will start with the game-four starter yet to be determined.

The Seahawks return home following a rough road trip to Connecticut after losing three-of-four. Junior Brian Martutartus (Carlsbad, CA / La Costa Canyon) had a big weekend at the plate, going 8-for-15 (.533) with five doubles and a home run while posting a 1.067 slugging percentage. He is now batting .311 with a team-best 18 doubles to go along with 31 runs, 20 RBI and 14 stolen baes. During NEC-play, Martutartus has taken his game to a higher level, recording a .364 average and a team-best 14 extra-base hits (12, 1, 1).

Senior Vin Avella (Matawan, NJ / CBA) leads the team in all three Triple Crown categories, recording a .317 average, 15 home runs and 52 RBI while slugging .639. With one more home run and four RBI he will match the single-season records for each category. Junior Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) is second on the squad with a .314 average after going 7-for-14 (.500) with a pair of doubles and four RBI in New Britain.

Sophomore Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) also hit safely in all four games against the Blue Devils going 6-for-15 (.400) and is batting .309. Junior Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) struggled last weekend but still checks in with a .307 average while continuing to lead the NCAA with 12 outfield assists after recording one more at CCSU. Junior Seth Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ / Perth Amboy) rounds out the .300 hitters, notching a .306 mark with nine doubles, two triples, four home runs and 13 stolen bases.

Standing out on the mound last weekend as fifth-year senior Andy Wells (Staten Island, NY / St. Peter's), who tossed 6.0 innings of four-run ball in helping the Green & White to a 7-5 victory. For Wells, it brought his recovery from Tommy John surgery full circle as the powerful righthander hurt his arm against the same Blue Devils team a year ago. Junior LHP David Rees (Staten Island, NY / Xavier) also collected his fourth save of the year, needing just one pitch. With his next appearance he will break the single-season school-record of 26 and has posted a 2.70 ERA with 29 strikeouts over 30.0 innings of work.

Prior to tonight's game, the program will honor Avella, Damian Csakai (Freehold Township, NJ / Freehold Township), Brian Miller (Pittsburgh, PA / North Hills), AJ Pirozzi (Staten Island, NY / Farrell), Matt Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) and Wells in a pre-game ceremony.

NOTES:
• Head coach Joe Litterio is 17-14 all-time against Quinnipiac, including 9-5 at home.

• The senior class is 6-6, all-time, vs. the Bobcats.

• Junior Joe Jamison (West Caldwell, NJ / James Caldwell) is a career .421 hitter (8-19) against Quinnipiac pitching while Martutartus checks in with a .360 (9-25) average.

• Watson has a 0.68 ERA in 13.1 innings against the Bobcats and with his next win will match the Wagner career wins record of 19.

• Rees posted a breakout performance against the Bobcats two years ago, entering game four up two with the bases loaded and no outs. The crafty lefty induced a fielder's choice to get the lead runner at home before getting an inning-ending double-play grounder.

• Quinnipiac has three former student-athletes in the professional ranks. Pat Egan plays for the Baltimore Orioles organization while Randy Gress (Atlanta Braves) and John Delaney (Milwaukee Brewers) also represent the Bobcats.

• Assistant coach Tim Binkoski was the 2007 NEC MVP and played professionally in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

• 10 of the Seahawks' 13 NEC wins have come by three runs or less as the Seahawks have notched double-digits in just three of their 28 league games.

• Game times for this weekend are 6:00 pm tonight with Noon starts for Friday's doubleheader and Saturday's single game.

• Quinnipiac's pitching staff does not feature one left-handed pitcher. The only lefty to have seen time on the bump is Monack, who starts in center field.

• Bryant won the NEC Regular Season Championship with a 9-0 win over Sacred Heart yesterday. The Pioneers can still claim the top seed for the upcoming NEC Tournament with a win or a CCSU loss.