By Tucker Paquette
@tpaquette17
A day after losing a one-run game against Salve Regina, the Pride flipped the script, moving past Keene State 6-5 on Wednesday afternoon on Archie Allen Field.
Springfield navigated a series of ebbs and flows throughout the game, but ultimately were able to notch the victory. Springfield head coach Mark Simeone feels good about his team’s resilience, especially after losing a similarly competitive game yesterday.
“I think it was important for us to keep grinding away, and realize that we’re good enough to come back or pull away from teams if we stay at it,” Simeone said. “We battled. It’s a weird game at times, but you got to stay with it. You get 27 outs and you’ve got to play all of them, and we did that today and that helped us win.”
While Springfield didn’t play a perfect game, as evidenced by their two fielding errors, Simeone thinks the Pride’s ability to make important plays in timely spots was a key reason for today’s outcome.
“[Joe] Traversa made a great play in that last inning when we needed a real good play after he didn’t make a play in the [top of the second inning when] they scored three runs,” Simeone said. “He was tough enough to shake that off and know that he can make that kind of play when it counts later in the game.”
The defining play of the game was a clutch two-run home run off the bat of catcher Ryan Sorgi in the bottom of the seventh. Simeone anticipates more of the same from Springfield’s senior backstop moving forward, particularly after he made a few tweaks to his hitting mechanics.
“He’s starting to come into his own in the batter’s box,” Simeone said. “He’s a good hitter. He struggled some early, [not] having balls fall for him. [Now], he’s taking good swings, staying a little taller on his backside and leveling off and swinging through balls a little better. I think you saw some of that hard work and some of what he’s capable of in the batter’s box today.”
However, the reach of Sorgi’s impact on the Pride extends beyond his offensive capabilities.
“He saves a lot of runs behind the plate,” Simeone said. “[Sorgi keeps] the ball in front of him, he calls the majority of the game. [He] knows our pitchers well, and helps them be successful on the mound.”
Speaking of the Pride’s pitchers, Simeone was encouraged with what he saw from starter Blake Roberge. While working through some rust due to an extended layoff after the team’s spring break trip, Roberge managed to keep Springfield in the game, giving up four runs (one earned), and striking out four over 4 2/3 innings.
“[He pitched with] toughness,” Simeone said. “I just talked to Roberge and he said he felt [his] legs didn’t feel like they normally do when he was out there. He hasn’t been on the mound for about 11 days. So some of that, not being out on the mound consistently, but he battled through it.”
The win was a true all-around effort for the Pride, as their bullpen delivered when called upon. Shamus Biggs recorded one of the biggest outs of the game when he induced a groundout to get Springfield out of a jam in the fifth.
“The guys that followed [Roberge] were tough and battled as well,” Simeone said. “Especially Shamus [Biggs], who came in and got a big out, and then pitched another good, solid inning after that. In high leverage situations in a close game, those three outs [relievers] get in one inning [are] really important. And our relievers did that, and did it with some toughness and competitiveness.”
Today’s win moves the Pride to 11-7 on the season. They will get back into NEWMAC play on the road this weekend with a doubleheader against Wheaton set to begin at noon on Saturday.