Quinnipiac Baseball Sits Atop MAAC

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball season is well underway, and currently Quinnipiac University is sitting atop the standings. Despite beginning their season with three tough losses (a pair of the games were decided by 1 run) to Abilene Christian University in Texas, they have found a groove and are on a roll.

The Bobcats quickly recovered in their next series and made quick work by sweeping The College of William & Mary, winning all three contests. It’s fair to say playing the Tribe served as a major confidence boost, as they outscored their opponent 27-6. The next few weeks were a consistent string of non-conference losses, but the Bobcats still knew that they were capable of anything.

Following losses to Stony Brook, Rhode Island, Dartmouth, and UNC Wilmington, it appeared that things were going downhill for Quinnipiac. Although sitting at eight wins and 12 losses through 20 games, head coach John Delaney knew that the team would pull themselves together.

And that’s exactly what they did. The MAAC regular season started, and QU opened up by steamrolling through Saint Peter’s. The first game was a 10-0 win, the second 4-0 with the same result, and the final game was an absolute slaughter. The highest scoring game of the season for a single team so far, the Cats smashed the Peacocks 28-2 on 27 hits.

From there, everything was uphill. Now 10-2 in conference play, they lead the MAAC in team batting average (.273) and also hold the 4th spot for team ERA (4.87). Junior Brian Moskey is at the head of it all, and as June approaches, he is proving himself as an draft candidate.

In 149 at-bats, he’s gotten 49 hits (.329), batted in 25 runs, scored 28 runs, and hit two dingers. With 10 stolen bases and a fantastic .989 fielding percentage, Moskey is showing his ability to be a complete player, something that MLB clubs strive to find.

On the mound, starting pitcher Brandon Shileikis is leading the way. With five wins in 10 games, he’s shown his ability to be a weekend starter capable of defeating the best of hitters. Shileikis has struck out 52 batters in 63.1 innings, also holding a 2.98 ERA.

If there’s one thing QU needs to improve on though, it’s their defense. With a team fielding percentage of .949, they sit second to last in the conference in that category. On the contrary, this is nothing to worry about if they continue their hitting barrages and efficient pitching.

Their next games come against Iona College, and then they take a short hiatus from MAAC play with a battle against Central Connecticut State University. The season will close in the middle of May with a trio of series against Niagara, Marist, and Rider.

None of their final conference opponents have a record above .500, all sitting in the bottom half of the standings. If the Bobcats maintain their current trends, those final games should end in their favor and prove valuable in securing the #1 seed.

At this point it seems like Quinnipiac will find itself in a championship battle with Manhattan or Canisius, the other powerhouses of the conference. Don’t mind their overall 19-20 record, because the Cats have the ability to pull through and defeat anybody.  They’ve never won a MAAC title, but it looks like it’s finally their year.