Baseball: Tigers Remain Winless

By: Chris Wells, Staff Writer 

The Tigers (0-6) fell to the Presbyterian Blue Hose (4-2) 11-5 Sunday at the PC Baseball Complex in Clinton, South Carolina.

At the end of the third inning, Presbyterian led 7-0. Despite late game efforts with three runs scored in the eighth and ninth innings, the hole proved to be too big for Towson to dig out of.  

“We need to hit better,” Head Coach Mike Gottlieb said. “We need to pitch better.”

Despite freshman Brian Palacios and sophomore Colin Gimblet scoring runs in the fifth inning, a four-run sixth inning sealed victory for the Blue Hose with two hits, three stolen bases and an error which scored their runs.

Junior Brady Policelli had a solid day going 2-3 at bat with one run, a double and an RBI. Junior pitcher Kevin Ross (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs, four earned, on eight hits in three innings of action. 

“Our pitching is capable of better,” Gottlieb said. “It hasn’t translated and no question we have to hit better.”

With a totality of 10 hits Friday, the Tigers only registered six hits both Saturday and Sunday.

“Last weekend our hitting progressed from Friday to Sunday but not this weekend,” Gottlieb said. “A lot of young guys are learning how to play, consistency isn’t there yet.”

Freshman Richie Miller started his collegiate career in impressive fashion Friday despite Towson’s 7-5 defeat. Miller went 3-5 at bat, scored one run and one RBI.

The Tigers didn’t fare much better Saturday, losing 6-2.

“Policelli had a good weekend and Miller had a good day,” Gottlieb said. “Grunberg and Chris Henze were out and last week we had no Richie Miller.”

Towson went into the weekend without two of their arguably best hitters. The 2016 Preseason All-CAA First Team junior Chris Henze has yet to take the field this year and sophomore standout Mark Grunberg was out with an injury.

Towson will look to get its first win of the season as they compete in the Wake Forest Invitational Friday against the host March 4, at 6 p.m.

The Tigers will then compete against Richmond March 5, at 6 p.m. and Harvard on March 6, at 10 a.m.

After taking on Wake Forest, Richmond and Harvard in Winston Salem, North Carolina at the Wake Forest Invitational, the Tigers will return home to take on University of Maryland, Baltimore County at Schuerholz Park Tuesday, March 8. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

“We won’t change much in practice,” Gottlieb said. “There may be changes in the lineup.”