ARCTIC BLAST PUTS A FREEZE ON PRESEASON OPENER

The wait is finally over—preseason has officially arrived. However, after watching today’s performance, it feels like it could have waited another day. Whether it was the weather or simply a lack of preparedness, the team did not seem ready to play. For four and a half innings, it looked like they were going through the motions. The pitching was mediocre, with only seven scattered hits, and the fielding resembled that of players handling a baseball for the first time. There were fielding errors, a lack of communication, and the hitting was subpar. They played as if they would rather be cozy in their rooms than on the field.

If JD believed he had found a closer in Jackson Cleveland, he might want to reconsider. Today he showed he was not a reliable stopper. Instead of treating today’s scrimmage as a preview of what to expect this season, let’s chalk it up to the Arctic Blast that hit the Light on Day One.

Nick Robert, who has been designated as one of our weekend starters, commenced the preseason by pitching three innings. He faced freshman Lazaro Collera in this matchup. Nick’s performance represented a decline compared to his pitching in the fall. Although he recorded two strikeouts and allowed a few hits, he initially prevented any runs from being scored. However, he ultimately conceded a run in each of his final two innings.

In the second inning, Max Galvin contributed to scoring by executing a one-out single, which set up the first run on a fielder’s choice from third base, resulting in a 5-3 score and marking the preseason’s initial run. Although there was the potential for a play at the plate, the team prioritized securing the out at first base.

In Nick’s final inning, the second run of the day was initiated when lead-off batter Derek Williams was hit by a pitch, followed by a throwing error from Jake Ogden at third base that advanced Williams to second. Renzo Gonzalez subsequently hit a single, allowing Williams to score. A passed ball further advanced the runners to second and third base, with the fifth and final batter, Dorian Gonzalez, stepping to the plate with one out remaining. Nick then issued a walk to Dorian, thereby loading the bases and concluding that half of the inning. Overall, this performance did not reflect the expectations for a prospective starting pitcher.

Lazaro Collera, a promising freshman pitcher, demonstrated impressive sharpness on the mound during the early innings of the game. He successfully navigated the first two innings without allowing a run or a hit, with the exception of a hit by pitch against Evan Taveras, who became the sole base runner in that span. However, in his final inning, a lead-off double by Adrian Areizaga initiated a sequence of events that led to a run being scored.

Fabio Peralto executed a well-executed sacrifice bunt, advancing Areizaga to third base. Unfortunately, miscommunication between the second baseman and right fielder resulted in a misplayed single by Max Galvin—his second hit of the day—which allowed Peralto to score from third. Following this, Lazaro issued a pair of walks, and a second error at third base by DeGoti concluded his outing, leaving runners on the corners with only one out.

While Lazaro had shown considerable promise up to the third inning, the defensive struggles behind him ultimately contributed to his early exit, as he reached the five-batter limit. The question of whether he could have navigated through the troubles remains unanswered for now.

In the second set of pitchers, Alex Stanyek, a redshirt freshman who did not see action last season and did not pitch in the fall, made his competitive debut. He faced Will Smith, a graduate student from Coastal Carolina. Both pitchers were limited to one inning of work. Stanyek encountered a tougher challenge, going up against Daniel Cuvet, Todd Hudson, and Jake Kulikowski. He successfully struck out two of the three batters (Hudson and Kulikowski) and induced Cuvet to fly out deep to right field, making for an encouraging performance overall.

On the other hand, Will Smith also recorded two strikeouts but allowed a single to Ethan Puig, slightly tarnishing his outing. Neither pitcher yielded any runs during their appearances.

The opening day of preseason concluded with the team’s designated “Closer.” As previously mentioned, Jackson Cleveland’s performance did not align with the traditional expectations of a Closer, particularly regarding his ability to “shut the door.” Our experience with Andrew Walter, widely regarded as “the Best of the Best,” has likely shaped our standards—for when he took the mound, the outcome felt certain. Unfortunately, Jackson’s outing did not inspire the same level of confidence. He allowed a leadoff double to Nolan Johnson, followed by an error at second base by Amaury De Jesus, which led to Johnson scoring. Overall, Jackson’s performance today did not exhibit the commanding presence typically associated with a Closer.

Offensively, the bats were fairly quiet. Just 7 hits, two for extra bases( Adrian Arezaga & Nolan Johnson), and only one person with multiple hits: Max Galvin 2-3.

The performance on the first day back was somewhat underwhelming, particularly given that the team had conducted two “unofficial” scrimmages among themselves last week. It could be attributed to the Arctic Blast, and perhaps it’s a glimpse of challenges ahead. Tomorrow presents another opportunity to demonstrate that today was merely a minor setback. The scrimmage on Saturday is scheduled to begin at 7:15 PM and will consist of 8 innings. If the conditions mirror those of today, it is advisable to bring warm beverages and appropriate attire.