By Keira Burger
Elm Staff Writer
Following a disappointing start to their season, Washington College baseball quickly compensated for the loss of their season opener with three consecutive wins against Penn State Abington on Saturday, Feb. 22 and Sunday, Feb 23.
Over the past weekend, the Shoremen proved this momentum would not halt just yet. Moving to 6-1 on the season, they dominated Oswego State 17-9 on Friday and swept Stevenson 13-6 and 14-7 in two back-to-back match-ups on March 1.
“Losing our season opener is obviously not what we wanted, but as a team we knew that one game does not define a season. There is a ton of baseball left to be played, and as a team we knew that there was no reason to panic. We went to practice that week knowing that this team has the ability to be successful, and we just had to play our game,” junior catcher Reese Hirsh said.
Friday’s game showcased the focus on resilience and perseverance as the Shoremen held a narrow lead over Oswego through the top of the fourth inning. Threatening to overcome the gap, Oswego brought the score to 4-3 with a two-run homer.
By the bottom of the inning, however, the Shoremen held their ground, scoring six runs thanks to a home run by junior infielder Ty Everitt and standout performances by sophomore infielder Zach Stolze, senior outfielder Scooter Sanfilippo, sophomore infielder Matt Lewis, and Hirsh, each of whom earned an run batted in during the inning.
With runs scored in nearly every inning, the team ended the game on a high note, setting an optimistic tone for the next two games the following day.
Nonetheless, Hirsh emphasizes the importance of staying grounded and not letting victories go to the team’s head.
“We still know there is a ton of work to still be done, and that we just need to keep getting better every single day,” Hirsh said.
Such an attitude surely contributed to Shoremen’s domination of Stevenson on Saturday, marked by strong offensive performances and consistent scoring. In the first game, the Shoremen struck first, with junior outfielder Chase Ruppel driving in Everitt on an early double. Their momentum continued as Ruppel and SanFilippo extended the lead to 5-2 in the third. By the fourth, Stolze and SanFilippo added two more runs, and a three-run sixth inning headed by Everitt, pushing the lead to 11-4.
The team closed out the game strong, securing a 13-6 victory with Everitt playing a key role in setting the tone offensively.
“The offense is definitely firing on all cylinders. It comes down to the fact that all our guys love to hit and love to compete. When you combine loving to hit and loving to compete, a good offense is the result,” Everitt said.
Opening the second game, the Shoremen wasted no time, scoring four consecutive runs in the first inning. Senior outfielder Will Turner, Everitt, Stolze, Ruppel, and SanFilippo all contributed to the early offensive push, giving the team a 4-0 lead.
Stevenson got on the board in the fourth, but the Shoremen tacked on two more runs in the seventh. A massive eight-run ninth inning sealed the win, securing a 14-7 victory and a series sweep.
Recording an impressive 26 RBI on the day, it is safe to say the Shoremen have shaken off the nerves of an intense start to the season.
The Shoremen travel to Ft. Pierce, Fla. for their spring break trip, which includes eight games from March 9 through 15.
Photo courtesy of WC Athletics.
Photo Caption: Shoremen baseball is off to a 6-1 start to the season, including a season high 17 runs.