Baseball Season Outlook for Holy Cross Team

In the first week back on campus, the Holy Cross community was treated to a double dose of excitement as both the baseball team and an ice skating event marked the start of a new academic year.

The baseball team, fresh off a season where they boasted the 9th lowest ERA in the NCAA, began their campaign at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The series saw a strong pitching performance from sophomores Jayden Wywoda and Danny Macchiarola, who combined for 9 innings of 2 run ball, securing a 4-2 victory on the opening day. Wywoda registered a save, while Macchiarola took the win for the game.

Despite the impressive start, the team returned home with a 1-2 record after the series against William & Mary. The Holy Cross Baseball team currently stands at a record of 14-18.

Meanwhile, the Campus Activity Board organised an ice skating event as part of their Welcome Back programs. Dozens of Holy Cross students participated in the event, held on a Saturday, skating on Worcester Common. The event proved to be a great way for students to reconnect and kick off the new academic year.

Among the students taking part was junior first baseman Chris Baillargeon, who is currently playing for the Holy Cross Baseball team. Freshman first baseman Ryan Grundy, from Weston, Massachusetts, has also had a great start at the plate this season.

Elsewhere, former Holy Cross pitcher Matt Blake is making waves in the professional world. Blake, who had a combined line of 2-10 with two RBIs, as well as a triple, giving him a .829 OPS during his time at Holy Cross, is now serving as the Yankees pitching coach since November 7, 2019.

One player to watch this season is junior Sean Scandling. Scandling has a combined statline of 4-11 with two runs, two RBIs and a double, good for a .955 OPS. Another player to keep an eye on is sophomore Jack Toomey, who also had a great start at the plate this season.

Alex Sandell, an infielder from Cambridge, Mass, has shown early signs of encouragement, especially in the season opener where he went 2-4 with two runs and an RBI. The Holy Cross Baseball team will be hoping that these early performances continue as they look to improve on last season's results.