Waves Report - Week of 3/27
Waves Report - Week of 3/27
By Zach Austin
Around the country, members of the Waves were back in action in the final weekend of March as many teams have reached the start of their conference slate.
Among these teams were Rutgers and Penn State, who both faced each other in a Big 10 weekend series. Catcher Nick Camillo represented the Waves in one half of the matchup, putting together at least one hit, run, and RBI for the Scarlet Knights’ in each of the last three games. The redshirt junior totaled four runs on seven hits, along with three RBIs and two doubles in that span. His best performance came on Saturday, as the Suffern, N.Y. native had a season-high four hits on seven trips to the plate while also collecting a season-best three runs, an RBI and a double in his team’s 8-0 shutout win.
Nick Cimillo, Rutgers (Credit - Rutgers Athletics)
On the other end, lefty pitcher Jason Henline saw four innings of action in a relief effort for the Nittany Lions in game one of Friday’s doubleheader. In four innings of action, the sophomore threw a season-high four strikeouts on 55 pitches while only walking one batter and allowing two hits.
Moving to the tri-state area, Rhode Island’s Alex Ramirez played a big role in the Rams’ upset 6-2 win over the No. 25 UConn Huskies on Saturday. In URI’s lone home game of the series, the Warwick, Rhode Island native recorded his fifth RBI on the season in the 8th inning on a base hit to extend the lead. At the bottom of the ninth, he sealed the game on a double-play, snatching a line-drive hit in the air and then throwing to first for the assist.
The Rams lost the final game of the series 4-1 on the road Sunday, but Ramirez had one of his better outings in the process. The left-handed batter had three hits, a run, and a double on four at-bats in the defeat.
Alex Ramirez, URI (Credit - GoRhody.com)
Other standouts at the plate this weekend were Kennesaw State’s Nick Hassan and Belmont’s Brodey Heaton. Hassan put together a strong performance in game two of the Owls’ three-game ASUN series against North Florida, going 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs and an RBI. Heaton, one of three Waves on the Bears’ roster, collected his third home run of the season along with two hits, two runs, and a season-high three RBIs in the team’s narrow 8-7 loss against Austin Peay.
Nick Hassan - Kennesaw State (Credit - Kennesaw State University Athletics)
Heaton’s teammate, Jalen Borders, had another solid afternoon as one of the team’s top pitchers. In his sixth start of the season Sunday, he allowed no runs on three hits, while striking out three batters and walking another three in a 6-4 win over the Governors.
Elsewhere on the mound, Columbia’s Joe Sheets made his fifth appearance of the season for the Lions. In his team’s 11-10 win over Pennsylvania, the first-year righty from Wimington, Delaware recorded a career-high five strikeouts in just over three innings of play.
After a tough outing on Friday, fellow freshman Grant Holderfield responded on Sunday for the Indiana Hoosiers in his second appearance of the weekend. Playing in one inning of relief, the lefty recorded a career-low zero batters walked in 30 pitches during a 6-5 victory over Evansville, along with picking up two strikeouts.
Despite Sunday’s loss, Rhody’s Zach Fernandez struck out one batter, not allowing any runs and just one hit in 13 pitches against the Hook C. Similarly, fellow Atlantic 10 pitcher Cameron Knox struck out one batter in 10 pitches for Fordham in their 3-2 loss Sunday at Monmouth.
