By Tucker Paquette
@tpaquette17
A day after falling 8-6 against No. 6/7 ranked Salve Regina on Archie Allen Field, Springfield College baseball got back in the win column at home on Wednesday afternoon, defeating Saint Joseph’s College (Maine) by a final score of 5-3.
The Pride jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning behind a string of baserunners thanks to three walks, a hit and a stolen base. Saint Joseph’s responded in the top of the third, though, tallying four hits and two runs to regain the lead.
Springfield’s offense was boosted by a pair of two-run frames, the first of which came in its half of the third. After getting two runners on base and having right fielder Adam Crocker hit into a fielder’s choice, the Pride had runners at second and third for shortstop Jack Dunaisky. Dunaisky came up big, belting a two-run triple to put Springfield back in front.
The Pride picked up where they left off in the bottom of the fourth, an inning where they continued a game-long trend of aggressive and opportune baserunning. Outfielder JP Catellier singled to open the inning, but a steal of second base and a move to third on a wild pitch allowed him to score off of a sacrifice fly from designated hitter Michael Lepere.
Along the same lines, catcher Dan Surette walked, but was able to get from first to third on a single by infielder Nicholas Lloyd. Surette then scored following an errant throw as Lloyd stole second base.
Overall, graduate assistant coach Arlo Pike was pleased with Springfield’s offensive approach, highlighting Dunaisky’s performance.
“Jack Dunaisky hit the ball really well today,” Pike said. “He struggled a little bit in Florida [over spring break], got back home and figured out his swing. Guys are working deeper into counts, too, getting into hitter’s counts and taking advantage of that, getting good swings off.”
The Pride also received a trio of quality outings from their pitchers who managed to keep Saint Joseph’s at bay for most of the afternoon. Ryan Baker started the game off for Springfield, allowing two runs over four innings of work. The plan was initially for Baker to pitch three innings, but he pitched an extra frame after an encouraging first three, something that obviously pleased Pike.
“It was big for Baker, his game isn’t exactly to blow the ball by guys, it’s to get weak contact,” Pike said. “It was supposed to just be three but we ended up putting him out for a fourth and he kept doing it, so that was good to see.”
Lefty Brock Goodwin entered the game in the fifth inning, and pitched two innings of one-run ball. Right-hander Jack Richburg closed the game out in style for the Pride, earning a nine-out save while allowing no runs and just one hit.
Earning a win the day after playing a close game against a nationally-ranked team strikes Pike as a sign of his team’s ability, something he thinks they are starting to pick up on, too. As the season progresses, the Pride are gaining confidence.
“The guys have started to realize that we can play with anybody,” graduate assistant coach Arlo Pike said. “[We] were up 5-1 at one point, and we could’ve won the game. Having that realization that we can compete with anyone, doesn’t matter what jersey they’re wearing, is good.”
Springfield moves to 4-12 on the season with the win, and will play host to Wheaton College on Saturday, March 29, with first pitch in game one of a NEWMAC doubleheader set for noon.
(Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics)