Jack Faggiano ’27
Staff Writer
With an abysmal 0-7 start staring the Holy Cross Baseball team down in the top of the ninth this past Sunday, Simon Landry stepped up to the plate and ripped a two-run homer to left field to knot the game up at 15 with Florida International University (FIU). From there on, a single by Van Coughlin combined with an error by FIU gave the Crusaders a 20-17 victory for their first win of the year, and the Crusaders could take a deep breath after a much-needed triumph.
Despite a grueling 1-6 start, there have been many bright spots that are important to acknowledge. CJ Egrie has picked up right where he left off last season, hitting .308 in the first seven games with a .455 on-base percentage, alongside eight stolen bases. The speedy leadoff hitter continues to be the heart of Holy Cross’s juggernaut offense.
Catcher Van Coughlin has made his presence at the plate known, already tallying three home runs in just fourteen at-bats to bring him to a 1.143 SLG% early on in the season. After a slow start, Alex Sandell has really turned it on lately, recording a total of six hits (four extra-base hits) in the most recent two outings.
This offense is at its best when he’s producing these numbers with consistency. Despite the team falling short in both outings, ace Jaden Wywoda has recorded two fantastic starts, allowing one run in five innings in a 2-1 opening day loss, followed up with another solid performance against FIU.
While Holy Cross hasn’t skipped a beat offensively, pitching has struggled mightily in the first seven games, posting a collective 10.68 ERA, which is good for almost double their previous feat in their 31-win campaign just a season ago.
Pitching hasn’t been the only issue defensively, though; fielding has been sloppy as well. Holy Cross has made 13 errors already, including costly ones down the stretch that have lost them winnable games. Holy Cross has to figure out their defensive woes very soon if they want to turn their season around. A team averaging 6.85 runs in their first seven games should not be looking at a 1-6 record.
That being said, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Florida International are two tough matchups to open the season, and Holy Cross was competitive for the most part, giving themselves a chance to win in four of their six losses.
There is plenty of time before Patriot League play starts up, and Holy Cross will look to right the ship in their upcoming series against Seattle today. Jaden Wywoda will likely take the mound for the opener, with the Crusaders looking to ride the momentum from Sunday’s big win against FIU.
Web edited by Emily Costello ’27
Featured image courtesy of Holy Cross Baseball Instagram
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