|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Today marked the official start of the preseason. Over the next three weeks, the team will prepare for opening day on Friday, Feb. 13, against Lehigh. Unfortunately, the day began with setbacks due to field limitations. The infield, affected by this week’s rains, was not ready for play, possibly because it was not covered. As a result, only the catcher, pitcher, and batter participated in today’s scrimmage, as was the case last week. The outfield remained playable, and it is hoped that by tomorrow, the grounds crew will have the infield ready for game activity.
Due to the absence of an infield, I made my best effort to assess whether balls hit in this area should be counted as hits or outs. I appreciate your understanding if I mistakenly called an out that should have been a hit. The primary goal of today’s practice was for the pitchers to get valuable repetitions while pitching to a batter. I realize this wasn’t the best scenario for the batters, who were limited to working on their timing and swing without any base-running or fielding activities.
Today’s scrimmage was an enjoyable 7-inning matchup that showcased 8 pitchers, each taking the mound for 2 innings, with a few minor adjustments here and there. AJ Ciscar started strong, fanning 4 batters and giving up just one hit in both innings. On the opposing side, Tate DeRias, pitching against AJ, ended up going an extra inning. He had a challenging first inning, giving up a single to Michael Torres and hitting Derek Williams, but he regrouped well, striking out the next two batters. The second inning went much more smoothly, with Tate retiring the side in order. Just when it seemed like everything was under control, Gabriel Milano stepped up and crushed the only home run of the day into right-center, adding some excitement to the game!
Jack Durso and Dylan Dubovik took the mound next, showcasing their pitching skills. Jack faced a scare early when he allowed a double to Alonzo Alvarez, but he quickly found his groove and held off any potential scoring from there. On the other hand, Dylan struggled with control, loading the bases in his second inning but managed to strike out Brandon DeGoti to escape the jam. Although Dylan had a tough outing at the plate, striking out in all three of his appearances, it raises questions about how JD will utilize him this season. Will he be used primarily as a relief pitcher or take on a role as a pinch hitter?
Brixton Lofgren, a player we didn’t see much of last season and only caught a glimpse of late in the year, really made an impression this time around by striking out the first two batters he faced. JD is taking a careful approach, so he only let him pitch one inning for now, gradually easing him into the rotation as a mid-reliever.
In the final moments of the game, we had the chance to witness the two top candidates for setup and closer roles—Packy Bradley-Cooney and Ryan Bilka. Both players showcased their skills impressively. Despite Packy allowing a one-out double to Fabio, he bounced back well, striking out three batters to finish his two innings strong. Meanwhile, Ryan faced just one baserunner, issuing a walk but handling the situation with poise. Overall, it was a solid performance from both pitchers.
Offensively, it’s tough to give a thorough report since the batters hardly reached beyond home plate. I had to rely on my own judgment to distinguish between hits and outs. The standout performance came from Alonzo Alverez, who went 3-for-4 at the plate, including a walk, and one of his hits was definitely a clear double. Fabio Peralta also contributed with a double, and Gabriel Milano hit a home run to right center, marking the only other extra-base hits. Unfortunately, the strikeouts were once again too high, totaling 20, which is unacceptable.
Just a reminder that we’re set to start tomorrow at noon. Fingers crossed the field will be in good shape for us to play!
