written by: Jon Abbott
The Neumann University Club Baseball team got off to a hot start to the 2017 Fall season, and haven't looked back since. The Knights swept a pair of doubleheaders against conference foe's York College of Pennsylvania and Holy Family University and will be heading into the Spring season with an undefeated 4-0 record.
Offense was no issue for the Knights, as they outscored opponents 41-9 in the Fall. Senior 3rd baseman Sam Rowan drove in a healthy number of runs, while managing to rope a triple in each series. The club also got some versatility from the leadoff spot as Junior Center Fielder Jonathan Abbott posted an on base percentage over .600 as well as showing some power, with both a homerun and a triple against Holy Family. In total, 8 Knights notched extra base hits as the club was firing on all cylinders.
In addition to a bolstering offense, the Knights were anchored by their defense, and sound pitching performances from their starters. Freshman Dave Caposele, Joshua Oakley, and Scott Perry all emerged as key contributors both on the field and at the plate, providing some big hits and key defensive plays throughout the Fall. In terms of pitching, Senior CJ McGrath made his return to the starting rotation after missing most of last season with a wrist injury. After a strong outing against York, he was tested early against Holy Family as he found himself in a base's loaded jam that he managed to pitch his way out of en route to his second Win of the Fall. The team also rallied behind the pitching of first year player Brendan Boas who, like McGrath, picked up two W's after a pair of impressive outings on the mound.
We caught up with Head Coach Scott Hammell earlier in the week and he had this to say in regard to the Fall season: "Having a 0 in the loss column is huge. We still have a lot to clean up so I'm looking forward to beginning workouts next semester. The goal is to tighten some things up defensively, and continue to develop arms on the mound. Hopefully we can add a few non-conference games, and continue this momentum into the spring." Things are looking promising for the Knights heading into the spring season, and the team will be looking to make another strong run.
