By Skye Tulio
Sports Editor
After a series of scheduling mishaps due to inclement weather, the baseball team hopes to get some field action this weekend in Philadelphia.
In a non-conference series against St. Joseph’s, the Bonnies (7-12, 2-4) will take the field for the first time since claiming their first conference series victory over Butler last weekend. This weekend serves as an Atlantic 10 bye for both the Hawks and the Bonnies. The two teams agreed to play a non-conference three-game series beginning today at 3 p.m. and concluding Sunday at 12 p.m.
Last season, the Hawks (13-15, 4-2) claimed the series against the Bonnies after the Brown and White lost the first (7-2) and last (7-3) game of the weekend.
Coach Larry Sudbrook said the inability to play continuously has proved to be difficult for the Bonnies.
“Our sport’s a continuity sport where once you get in the groove, you keep playing,” Sudbrook said. “In football you play once a week, basketball once maybe twice a week but in baseball you play five times a week. So, the problem for us right now is we were in a gym then went on a trip to Florida. We came back from Florida and went in a gym for 10 days. After that, we went to North Carolina, then to Xavier, and then back in the gym for a week.”
Tuesday’s doubleheader against Buffalo was also postponed due to cold temperatures and high winds. The games are rescheduled for Tuesday, April 16 beginning at 2 p.m. with the second game immediately following at 4:30.
Sudbrook said he and his team are used to the weather, but this season has been particularly frustrating with the last of the Bonnies’ 11 straight games being postponed, canceled or relocated.
“Have we had a prolonged period from mid-March to the first week of April of all this lake effect snow during my time? Probably, but not very often — It’s definitely even freaky for us,” Sudbrook said.
The weather also forced the Bonnies’ conference home opener series, March 22-24, to Xavier’s field in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Brown and White have lost all three games with the Musketeers scoring in double digits each game.
“We got our butt kicked because they were better than us,” Sudbrook said. “They were ahead of us, they had better players and just had a better depth all the way around.”
This past weekend, the weather permitted a three-game series against fellow A-10 competitor Butler. The Bonnies claimed the series victory, losing the first game (9-6) and winning the last two (8-3, 3-1).
“When you play a game one in an Atlantic 10 series and each team has a stud pitcher going, when you score six runs you should win,” Sudbrook said.
Even so, Sudbrook says the team is battling an issue bigger than the weather — its number one pitcher is not producing as well as usual.
“Eddie (Gray) has been a stud for us the past two years and a multiple A-10 Pitcher of the Week winner,” Sudbrook said. “Right now he’s 0-4 with an ERA of nine.”
Sudbrook said the redshirt senior and MLB prospect has been experiencing some pain in his shoulder, according to Sudbrook.
“His (Gray’s) velocity when his arm is right is 88-91,” Sudbrook said. “He tried to pitch against Butler and he was at 83-84 mph — he got whacked around. He just got cortisone shot on Tuesday and had an MRI scheduled for Thursday (results of MRI were not available before press time).”
Redshirt senior Andrew Revello started game two of the Butler series, giving up three runs. Freshman Steven Klimek gave up just one run in his Sunday start.
“Steven’s got three pitches: fastball, curveball, changeup,” Sudbrook said. “When he pitches down and throws strikes he’s very good — we think he’s got a bright future. He’s going to be someone who’s going to be an Atlantic 10 star and possibly even beyond that at the next level.”
The wins over Butler gave the Bonnies a much-needed boost of confidence, according to Sudbrook.
“Butler had just gotten back from beating Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) three games at VCU, a southern school who’s very good,” Sudbrook said. “Those were big wins for us and we certainly needed them confidence wise to beat a good team two out of three.”
