PSU Baseball goes 0-2 against Colby College

Plymouth States' men's baseball team suffered two tough loss to Colby College this past Sunday to drop their overall record to 5-16 and 0-4 in Little East Conference play.

The Panthers have been extremely competitive this year despite what their record says. Says Head Coach Dennis McManus "We have played very competitively and are only a few key hits of good pitches away from having a much better record". This statement is true for the Panthers, as the two losses against Colby were both by a run a piece. The Panthers have lost eight games by only three runs or less.  Had a couple of these games gone the Panthers way, this season could be one that is completely different.

Like every other Head Coach that I have talked to, Coach McManus expressed to me how the team hasn't "had an outdoor practice with the exception of one in Florida during Spring break. Most all of our opponents to date have been on their fields for weeks." While this may seem like something that is quite minor to an overall season, it cannot be expressed how beneficial it is to practice on the grass and dirt that you will be having your home games on. The PE center can only do so much to give a team the true effects on small things like how a ball will take a bounce off the ground, or how the actual playing field changes throughout the use of it.

Despite the team's record and the whole debacle of not being able to practice (let alone play) on a true practice field, Coach McManus was able to find some positives this year. "Very good defense and much improved pitching as a whole staff" were some of the positives that Coach McManus was able to find this year. The pitching staff has been decent this year despite the team's record with junior Joe Hudson (Greenfield, Mass.) posting a 3.12 ERA and allowing less than a hit per inning this season. Junior Jonathan Bishop leads the team in strikeouts this season at 31 in only 29 1/3 innings. A high note for the pitching staff this year was when Hudson, Bishop and junior Bobby Chatfield (Sharon, Conn.) combined for a one-hitter against Rivier College on March 31st.  

Plymouth State looks to continue their season as they finally have a home game tomorrow against UMass Dartmouth at noon and then at 3:00 P.M. The Panthers get to play on their confines for a couple of games as their next seven games are home, concluding with Castleton on April 26th.