HAMDEN — Backed by a gritty 10-strikeout performance from junior pitcher Mason Ulsh, Quinnipiac baseball ran away with a 6-1 victory over Canisius Saturday afternoon. 

“This is all we could have asked for … lives on the line,” senior outfielder Jared Zimbardo said. “Every game matters.” 

Let’s empty the notebook following the Bobcats’ Game Two victory. 

Mason Ulsh grinds out an impressive performance  

Ulsh kept the good vibes going following his seven-inning outing against NJIT on April 20. The Auburn, Pennsylvania, native threw another seven-inning start, giving up one run to go along with 10 punch outs. 

But it didn’t seem like it was going to be a good day for Ulsh when Golden Griffins’ leadoff man, graduate student left fielder Kenny Dodson stepped up to the plate. Before anyone had even settled in, Dodson piped the ball over the wall in the game’s first at-bat. 

Not the start Ulsh and Quinnipiac were looking for.

“Obviously the first inning didn’t go as planned,” Ulsh said. “From the second inning on … my pitches were dialed in.” 

Ulsh settled into a real groove following the rip by Dodson, putting down the next three batters while notching a pair of strikeouts. 

From the second inning on, Ulsh was untouchable. Besides a few hits here and there, the junior right-hander was cruising — a testament given where his outing seemed to be heading. 

“He’s done a great job with limiting (mistakes),” head coach John Delaney said. “He came in the dugout, you wouldn’t have noticed he gave up a homerun.” 

It seemed like Ulsh could go the distance until his back tightened up in between the sixth and seventh innings. Despite that Ulsh still went out for the seventh and punched out three Golden Griffins to end his day. 

“Showed a little bulldog in him,” Delaney said. “Showed a lot of confidence in himself to stay out there.” 

Gabe Wright clears the fence

Sophomore center fielder Gabe Wright has been waiting a while for his first Division I home run, 106 at-bats to be exact. No. 107 seemed to be the lucky charm as the Indianapolis, Indiana, native sent a shot deep down the left-field line to tie Saturday’s game at one. 

“He was happy as ever, we were happy for him,” Zimbardo said. “We thought he was going to get it out of the way a long time ago. He’s had some close ones pepper the wall a few times … It was definitely due.” 

For Wright, the home run may have been just what he needed to see his power become a part of his everyday game. 

“It’s nice to see because now that’s going to explode his power numbers,” Zimbardo said. “I think he’s going to have many more in the next month.” 

Zimbardo shines 

At this point in his career it’s no surprise Zimbardo led the way with another strong performance at the plate. The Middlesex, New Jersey, native is currently batting .346 on the year to go along with four home runs. Zimbardo reached base four times Saturday and was just a triple shy of the cycle. 

“(Zimbardo) is becoming a much better overall hitter,” Delaney said. “He’s always been a guy that’s had a lot of pop, hitting in the .280 area. Now he’s trusting himself, trying to be a lead guy (at the) top of the order.” 

Zimbardo’s fourth home run of the season came in the bottom of the eighth, bouncing off the top of the wall and out to score an insurance run for Quinnipiac. 

“Disciplines key, you’re just trying to win pitches out there,” Zimbardo said. “It’s not about crushing every pitch you see, but if you’re trusting your approach and know you can’t get beat then that’s when you are going to run into more balls.” 

Taking it one game at a time 

With their Game Two win, the Bobcats also won the weekend series over the Golden Griffins. But that doesn’t mean they’re satisfied, if anything it only makes Sunday more meaningful. 

“It’s a one-game series,” Delaney said. “The reality is this is a one-game series. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter, you got to play every game as one game. (Sunday) is a winner-take-all day, that’s how we’re looking at this.” 

At this point in the year, every game is important, even more so for the Bobcats who are 5-6 in conference play. A win Sunday gets them back to even with just about a month remaining before the MAAC tournament.  

“We (have) to forget about this,” Delaney said. “We (have) to realize we have a battle ahead of us and they are going to come out with a different mentality.”  

Quinnipiac will look to win the battle and complete the sweep over Canisius tomorrow. First pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. in Hamden.