Hamden, Conn. – Since the pandemic four years ago, Quinnipiac has played the Rider Broncs 11 times, only winning two of those games. This weekend was capped off with the Bobcat’s fourth straight loss against the Broncs, losing 11-1.
Throughout the entire weekend, there were two major themes: sloppy defense and leaving base runners stranded on offense.
The defense has been “below average,” Delaney said post game. It was evident with three straight fly-out balls into the outfield that hit the new turf and put Rider even more in the driver’s seat in the fifth inning.
“It’s horrible,” Delaney said. “Three fly balls in one inning is horrible. Really no other way of saying it.”
During that same inning, Quinnipiac allowed five runs. Up to that point, the game was only 2-1 and starting pitcher Mason Ulsh had only allowed three hits.
Ulsh is still looking for his first win of the season, he is 0-4 after Sunday’s loss and had gone on to allow seven in that fifth inning. He was relieved in the top of the sixth.
“He pitched well,” Delaney said. “We didn’t do anything to help [defensively].”
It was a sunny day in Hamden compared to Friday’s doubleheader where it was overcast for both games.
Senior Jared Zimbardo, junior CJ Willis and sophomores Gabe Wright and Julian Buchman were all in the outfield throughout the game. Between miscommunication and not being able to track the ball in the air, those little mistakes proved to be the deciding factor to get swept.
“You practice on this field every single day and you know where the sun is,” Delaney said. “I think we have to do a better job on the defensive side of the ball and handling those situations.”
The Broncs’ never trailed in games one and two on Friday. Game three was the same. The Bobcats got one run in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the lead to 2-1. Then the floodgates opened for Rider, offensively and defensively.
Rider’s junior pitcher, Bryan Young pitched five innings and allowed the only run of the game. After that, freshman pitcher Jake Dortey and graduate student pitcher Christian Coombes allowed a combined one hit in the final four innings.
Following today’s game, the Bobcats have lost seven straight games by almost seven and a half runs this season. Out of all 15 losses this year, 11 of those losses came when Quinnipiac gave up more than 10 runs.
“You’re not going to win games if you don’t play good defense,” Delaney said. “It’s that simple.”
Moving forward, Quinnipiac will look to eliminate that losing streak on the road against Rhode Island on Tuesday, March 26. The Bobcats will only have a couple of practices this week, but it is clear what is going to be worked on to address the elephant in the room.
“Take the bats out of their hands,” Delaney said. “Just going to practice defense every practice.”
The Rhode Island Rams currently have the same amount of wins as the Bobcats, but are on a two-game winning streak and winners in their last three of four.
Even though it is a non-conference game and won’t matter when the end of the season rolls around, Delaney has high expectations for his club.
“When you are trying to assert yourself as one of the top five teams in New England,” Delaney said, “For that to happen, you have to beat New England teams.”
