By Tucker Paquette
@tpaquette17
Springfield College baseball was shutout in both legs of a home doubleheader against Clark University on Saturday.
Today’s results of 5-0 and 11-0 (seven innings) have Springfield sitting at 14-16 on the season. The losses also extend the Pride’s losing streak to five games, and drop their record in NEWMAC play to 1-9.
Head coach Mark Simeone didn’t see this coming, especially with the energy his team displayed prior to first pitch.
“None of us expected what happened today to happen because I think we were ready,” Simeone said. “We were out here early, we were bouncing around ready to go. [But] we didn’t play well enough to win.”
The team’s offensive struggles are the big story of the day, as Springfield was held scoreless over 16 total innings of baseball. The Pride notched five hits in each game, but were unable to consistently string baserunners together. While Simeone saw some things he liked from the group’s bats, the need to do more is clear.
“We had some good at-bats, some hard hit balls, but you can’t just lean on stuff like that,” Simeone said. “You’ve gotta put some at-bats together and do the types of things that spark the group.”
When the Pride did have chances to score, they couldn’t capitalize, minimizing their chances to climb back into the game. Simeone made note of the importance of clutch hitting, and the boost improving in that department would give the team.
“[Our] quality at-bats [didn’t always happen] when it counted the most,” Simeone said. “Timely hitting hasn’t been something we’ve been able to do on a regular basis.”
Clark’s pitching was definitely a part of the equation. In the first game, Benjamin Spencer tossed seven scoreless frames while allowing just three hits and four walks. Maxwell Gitlin followed that up with a 100-pitch complete game in the second leg.
Simeone credits Spencer and Gitlin for their strong outings, but believes the Pride’s approach might have contributed to their success.
“I think it was a combination of [Clark] making some good pitches and us getting in difficult hitting situations, [somewhat] playing into what they were trying to do,” Simeone said. “We want to be intelligently aggressive at the plate.”
Starting pitching for the Pride was a tale of two games. Connor Caverly delivered a quality start in the first game, going 6.2 innings while allowing two runs (one earned). Clark scored once in the 2nd inning, but Caverly battled back and kept them off of the scoreboard until the 6th.
However, Blake Roberge had a rougher time in game two – hurling just 3.1 innings and allowing nine runs (eight earned), while surrendering seven hits and hitting two batters. Combined with the team’s slumping offense, Roberge’s setback on the mound made the second game one to forget for Springfield.
Simeone believes the Pride are better than what they showed today, but ultimately acknowledges the scoreboard is where to first look after a game.
“The scores [of today’s games don’t] really reflect our ability and talent,” Simeone said. “But the score is the score.”
With the Pride scuffling, Simeone knows what it will take for the team to get back on track.
“I just said to the guys [how responding to this adversity] is going to be a gut check,” Simeone said. “We’ve got to come back Monday, have a good workout, believe we can make adjustments and play better. Taking it in, owning it and finding ways to get better individually and collectively [will be the key].”
Springfield will be at it again on Tuesday, when they will take on Coast Guard at 3:30 p.m. in New London, Conn.
Photo Courtesy: Springfield College Athletics