Baseball finally returning to Drexel University
By: Shawn Gauby
Issue date: 4/6/07 Section: Sports
Originally published: 4/6/07 at 8:17 PM EST
Last update: 4/6/07 at 8:17 PM EST
Originally published: 4/6/07 at 8:17 PM EST
Last update: 4/6/07 at 8:17 PM EST
Being forced to practice baseball indoors is boring. The club team practiced three times a week in the cold armory facility. There is no room to hit and test game situations, and the rubber and concrete flooring did not provide the feel of a baseball diamond. However, a core group of 10-15 players grinded through the off-season workouts. The players hit in the batting cage, pitched off of a non-existent mound, and performed defensive drills to the best of their capabilities.
"You could not ask for anything better from that core of 15 guys that we have," Joyce said.
"The guys are very dedicated," Assistant Coach Paul K. Johnson said. "They're very focused, very intense. I'm not surprised, but things are going better than I originally expected."
The Dragons began their NCBA schedule against Rutgers last weekend. The Scarlet Knights are the two-time defending NCBA champions, and playing them would be a great litmus test to see how far this Drexel team has come.
The Dragons took one of three from the weekend set. The series was highlighted by a 2-0 shutout by Mike Furman. He scattered six hits over eight innings, walking no one while striking out eight. Regulation NCBA games last seven innings, and that game was scoreless after seven. Nick Illuminati broke the shutout with an RBI double in the 8th, and Furman knocked Illuminati in to expand the lead to 2-0. Furman finished off his own gem to win the first game of the season for the Dragons. Illuminati finished the series 6 for 11, and he collected an outfield assist when he threw a base runner out at home plate.
"I was generally surprised for how well we played for our first time being outside," Joyce said.
The season is showing a lot of promise as the toughest series of the year should now be behind the Dragons. The team is now beginning to gel with the 15 players that survived the long winter practices.
"We have a solid starting nine and three solid pitchers," Joyce said. "If nobody gets hurt, and if somebody can step up and throw in the bullpen, I think we can actually compete in the conference."
"You could not ask for anything better from that core of 15 guys that we have," Joyce said.
"The guys are very dedicated," Assistant Coach Paul K. Johnson said. "They're very focused, very intense. I'm not surprised, but things are going better than I originally expected."
The Dragons began their NCBA schedule against Rutgers last weekend. The Scarlet Knights are the two-time defending NCBA champions, and playing them would be a great litmus test to see how far this Drexel team has come.
The Dragons took one of three from the weekend set. The series was highlighted by a 2-0 shutout by Mike Furman. He scattered six hits over eight innings, walking no one while striking out eight. Regulation NCBA games last seven innings, and that game was scoreless after seven. Nick Illuminati broke the shutout with an RBI double in the 8th, and Furman knocked Illuminati in to expand the lead to 2-0. Furman finished off his own gem to win the first game of the season for the Dragons. Illuminati finished the series 6 for 11, and he collected an outfield assist when he threw a base runner out at home plate.
"I was generally surprised for how well we played for our first time being outside," Joyce said.
The season is showing a lot of promise as the toughest series of the year should now be behind the Dragons. The team is now beginning to gel with the 15 players that survived the long winter practices.
"We have a solid starting nine and three solid pitchers," Joyce said. "If nobody gets hurt, and if somebody can step up and throw in the bullpen, I think we can actually compete in the conference."
