Florida Baseball Recap: Panthers Drop Seven, Pick up Four Despite Strong Offensive Start

Jarek Krajewski (Cranston, RI)

COURTESY PHOTO

Although the Panthers sit below .500 through their first 15 games, it’s safe to say the team’s come out strong against some tough non-conference competition. After traveling to Becker, the team hit the road for 11 games in Fort Meyers, Florida, in which they came up empty in all but four. Despite dropping seven, the team competed in every game, losing three by less than three runs and averaged nearly nine runs in their winning efforts.

The first two games of the week were against a powerhouse offense in Bethel University (Minn), where they dropped both by a decent margin. The Bethel pitching staff held the Panthers to just seven hits through the first two games before the green and white got the ball rolling offensively. Jarek Krajewski (Cranston, RI) and Mike Bailey (Stratford, NH) combined for six RBI’s, and Connor MacRae (Newburyport, Mass) posted a solid win, fanning six batters in five and a third innings and allowing just two runs against Skidmore.

Plymouth would drop their next two games against Amherst despite a strong performance at the plate from senior Dave Hall (Groton, CT), who knocked in three runs on four hits, including his first home run of the year. Plymouth would get back into the win column against North Park University, putting up four runs and allowing just two off of a strong pitching performance by the trio of Ryan Perro (Glen Head, NY), Cam Cossette (Milford, Mass) and Taylor Doyle (Peterborough, NH). Perro went seven and two-thirds, allowing both runs on nine hits before Cossette came on in relief to strike out the last batter in the 8th. Doyle finished off the game with a pair of strikeouts for his first career save at PSU. Freshman Matt Decina (Hopkinton, Mass) drove in two runs en route to the victory.

Plymouth would get derailed by Johns Hopkins, losing 10-1, but would bounce back for a pair of wins against Edgewood College (Wis.). Doyle would get the complete game win, giving up four earned on seven hits and five strikeouts, while Krajewski and Luke Mancini (Scotia, NY) tallied two RBI’s apiece at the plate. The team would throttle Edgewood in game two, scoring 16 runs on 22 hits. Eric Leitch (Lanesboro, Mass) and Krajewski combined for 10 of the 22 runs, and had four of the team’s 10 extra base hits. Cossette posted his first win of the year, striking out four and giving up two runs on seven walks and zero hits.

PSU would drop their last two games of the trip, losing 9-7 against Lasell and 10-7 against Nichols. Luke Mancini would blast his first home run of the season, and would tally two RBI’s in the loss against Lasell. Krajewski would bat in three in the

Nichols’ loss, while James Riley Garnett (Newport, RI) would drive out his third home run of the year and add a pair of RBI’s in the losing effort. David Sampson (Bellingham, Mass) would get the no-decision, throwing seven innings and fanning five while allowing seven hits.

The team would bounce back to defeat Clark this past Tuesday, rallying in the top of the ninth to secure the win. This was the Panthers first win since returning from Florida.

It back and forth game that saw Panthers starter Taylor Doyle (Peterborough NH) go the distance in a 7 hit effort.

The Panthers decided the game in the top of the ninth when Josh Goulet (Nashua NH) capitalized on a Clark walk by stealing second. With the runner in scoring position Dave Hall (Groton Conn) tallied a double and the game winning RBI.

The Panthers went on to play Babson the next day, suffering a 6-1 loss. Senior Matti Doxter (Somersworth, NH) took the loss on the mound, giving up four earned on five hits while fanning eight.

Krajewski is absolutely tearing it up at the plate through the first half of the season. The first basemen currently bats .556, and leads the team in all categories, including hits (30) RBI’s (16), OBP (.607) and SLG (.708). Nate Frederick (Worcester, Mass) is the only other Panter relatively close to Krajewski, batting a quiet but respective .354.