Hofstra baseball played its second of three games in the first ever fall exhibition series under head coach John Russo last Saturday.
Per NCAA rules, Division I collegiate baseball teams can take part in outside competitions during the slated fall practice schedule. For each outside game played in the fall, a game is subtracted from the potential 56 games in the spring season.
With a lot of new faces, Coach Russo looked to take advantage of this offered opportunity for the first time in his tenure.
“We brought in 16 new players, which equates to almost half of our team. We felt it was a great time to see how the players would react,” Russo said.
Between the countless hours spent in the weight room and on the field preparing for a season that is months away, the fall season is a grind.
“Playing outside competition takes the comfort ability aspect out of the equation,” Russo said as he acknowledged prior seasons of stagnant fall intrasquad scrimmages between the team.
Russo specifically slated a contest with Mercer Community College after their stellar 2015 campaign. Mercer’s pitching staff also features a few arms poised for the next level. With Mercer being a two-year program, Hofstra baseball is eligible to recruit Mercer players.
“Mercer was 55-7 last year and ended the season with a trip to the [Junior College] World Series. It is a top team and it benefits not only the players as they get a taste of what CAA conference pitching will look like, but the coaching staff as we can look to see if they have any prospective student athletes for our program,” Russo said.
Hofstra’s pitching staff and hitters shined alike during the Saturday contest as they scored 14 runs on the day while only surrendering four. Unlike intrasquads, Saturday’s game featured umpires and a true game feel.
“The competitive factor is crucial, I don’t think you ever truly replicate game type pressure and intensity during an intrasquad,” said Hofstra hitting coach, Tyler Kavanaugh.
Pitching coach, John Habyan, a 13-year MLB veteran, was impressed with the work his staff was able to log during the game.
“It’s just the competitive factor, [intrasquads] are good for getting work in, but guys just go a little bit harder in these outside competition games. You get to see what people are made of,” said Coach “Haybes,” as the players refer to him.
When asked if Hofstra will play fall exhibition games next year, Russo had this to say. “I’ve loved this fall so far, and I like the direction we are headed, it gets us in tune for February 17, so absolutely.”