Garcia shines as Bobcats open season with shutout win over Monmouth

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Photo: Liz Flynn

Keith Savage

Quinnipiac earned a massive 5-0 win vs Monmouth in their first home game in 673 days. The pitching, fielding and hitting were on for the team in the 2021 opener. You truly could not ask for much more.

The struggling pitching unit in 2020 was quite opposite today, rolling a shutout for the Bobcats.

Sophomore pitcher Brandyn Garcia got the nod for the start and was not a disappointment.

The young Garcia finished with a six-inning shutout, striking out seven and allowing only three batters to reach base, picking up the win in the process.

He tosses 10 total innings in 2020, finishing with a 5.40 ERA. Even though the ERA was not the greatest, opponents only batted .200 against him.

The Bobcats offense was headlined by graduate student Evan Vulgamore who hit a three-run home run to left field in the bottom of the fourth to open the scoring.

The veteran on the team proved how important he truly is for the Bobcats. Vulgamore also had a double in the sixth inning.

In the sixth graduate student Andre Marrero ripped a two-run single to center field. That was the dagger with the Bobcat lead being extended to five. 

Junior Derek Goldrick was able to seal the deal in the seventh, striking out the side to secure the victory.

This game was the best-case scenario for this veteran-led team. If the veterans keep playing like this throughout the season, another conference championship could be coming home in June. 

This is the first game of a four-game series this weekend against Monmouth to open the season.