A new season with a new coaching staff and the tradition continues for FAU baseball.
As in years past, FAU allows a lot of runs but pulls out a win with clutch offense.
In John McCormack’s head coaching debut, the Owls downed the Fordham Rams 8-6 powered by senior designated hitter Tom Hatcher’s two home runs and four runs batted in.
“Offensively, where would we be without Hatcher tonight?” McCormack asks rhetorically.
According to McCormack, Hatcher had a slow spring, missing pitches that he usually hits, but came out strong in the season opener. Hatcher normally sports a shaggy look, but he chopped off the hair before opening day, and he looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
“I feel lighter. I feel quicker with the bat, so maybe I’ll have to stick with it,” Hatcher says.
Hatcher sped around the bases after each home run instead of electing to trot to home like most players after smashing one over the fence.
“I wanted to run around the bases. I’m DH [designated hitter] so I needed to get a little exercise in,” Hatcher says.
Senior center fielder David Wilson got in some good exercise too when he hit a go-ahead triple in the sixth inning, driving in sophomore shortstop Nick Delguidice for what proved to be the deciding difference.
Wilson was focused on getting McCormack a win in his first experience in a regular season game at the helm.
“It was real high emotion. We really wanted this win for him,” Wilson says.
Delguidice contributed with a three for four night, in his first game as an Owl.
Freshman Hugh Adams closed the game by working a scoreless ninth inning.
“I think we might have found somebody there,” McCormack says about Adams. “He wants to be in that role. He’s a pretty cool customer for being a young guy.”
Sophomore starter Mike Gipson pitched 3 2/3 innings, striking out six and allowing five hits with two earned runs.
Senior lefty Alex Pepe, who was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft but elected to remain an Owl, retired all 10 batters he faced in middle relief.
An overall solid performance for FAU on opening day has McCormack ready to celebrate his coaching debut victory.
“[My family and I] will go home and watch ‘Hannah Montana’ and ‘The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,'” McCormack says.
FAU ended up taking two of three from Fordham in the season-opening series. The Owls won Saturday before falling 18-16 on Sunday afternoon. The Owls will play their second series of the season Friday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 1, a four gamer against Stony Brook.
