It’s only three games into baseball season, but the Bobcats are well ahead of last year’s pace.
After losing 18 of its first 19 games to start the 2010 season, Quinnipiac won two games in the Coastal Carolina tournament over the weekend, splitting a doubleheader with Marshall on Friday and beating Ball State, 5-4, Saturday night.
Quinnipiac’s pitching has been the key to success thus far, tallying a 2.08 ERA, compared to last year’s 7.80. However, eight of the 14 runs allowed so far are unearned. Quinnipiac’s pitchers allowed a .261 batting average, 71 points lower than last year.
The three Bobcat starters, George Dummar, Derek Lamacchia and Kyle Birdsall, have combined for a 1.69 ERA.
Chris Migani and Mickey Amanti each have four RBIs this year, combining for a .333 batting average. Ben Farina and Kyle Nisson recorded six hits so far and are a combined 4-for-4 on stolen base attempts.
Quinnipiac (2-1) won the first game against Marshall 8-3 Friday afternoon, but lost the nightcap 7-3. QU committed five errors in its loss, compared to three in its two victories.
Dummar (1-0), Nick Fabrizio and Ryan Walsh combined to allow six hits and walked only two batters in QU’s win over Ball State (1-8), allowing four runs (one earned) and striking out seven.
The Bobcats erupted for four runs in the fifth inning, capitalizing on two Cardinal errors in the inning, five in the game.
Farina drove in Mike Blumenthal with an RBI single and took second base on a throwing error. Nisson drove in two after T.J. Baumet’s error allowed Migani, Blumenthal and Joe Poletsky to take an extra base. Mike Bartlett followed with his own RBI single for a 5-3 advantage.
Dummar struck out four in his five innings of work, and Fabrizio and Walsh combined for four innings of two-hit ball, retiring the side in succession three times.
The Bobcats play Richmond in a three-game series Friday, the start of a 10-day stretch when they will play nine games.
Fungos
Friday’s win over Marshall was the first time Quinnipiac began its season with a victory since 2008. … Nisson collected six hits in 10 at-bats in the tourney. … The Bobcats make their home debut on April 1, to start a series with Sacred Heart.
