Freshman outfielder Jack Mislan saved his best hits for last on Sunday.
Tied up against Bucknell University in the ninth inning, he cracked a line drive to right field, bringing sophomore infielder Matt Colella home after a nail-biting slide to home plate, helping the baseball team win the game 2-1.
One game later, Mislan had more heroics up his sleeve.
He stepped up to the plate in the eighth inning with two strikes, hitting an awkward bouncing ground ball to shortstop and hustling to first base. He was safe, bringing senior outfielder Easton Brenner home.
The Leopards (6-6 Patriot League, 9-24 overall) then closed out the 3-2 win with a strikeout and swept Bucknell as part of a four-game road trip against the Bison (4-8 Patriot League, 12-19 overall) and the Naval Academy (9-6 Patriot League, 18-16 overall) on Saturday.
“He’s a very talented kid,” head coach A.J. Miller said of Mislan. “He’s played almost every game. That’s why we brought him here, to be an impact player early on in his career.”
The Leopards struggled offensively in their first game of the week against Navy, falling 4-0 and only managing two hits. Seven Leopards struck out on the day, and the game marked the team’s fewest hits since the end of the 2024 season.
In the second game, the Maroon and White piled on four runs in the fourth inning after senior infielder Michael Zarrillo hit a 3-run shot for his 22nd career home run, tying Miller for the all-time school record.
“There really isn’t anyone who works harder than Michael,” Miller said. “He’s just a talented kid who gets the most out of what’s given to him.”
The Leopards then brought home three runners in the fifth and tallied another three unanswered runs in the ninth to win 11-5. The game featured 27 hits between the teams and 14 from the Maroon and White.
Miller said that the loss to Navy and the turnaround in the second game were “just the game of baseball.”
“The important thing there was making sure that we stuck to our approach, realizing we’re facing a different arm,” he said. “So maybe some things change or tweak, but still believing in who we are as an offense and knowing that it will come through.”
The baseball team’s two wins against Bucknell featured a pitcher’s duel, with senior right-handed pitcher Joe Skapinetz throwing 10 strikeouts in the first game. Other right-handed pitchers, including sophomore Owen Basso, junior Patrick Walega and sophomore Ben Waterman, also recorded strikeouts. Miller praised the pitchers for “executing the scouting report,” and not allowing Bucknell “to feel comfortable in the box.”
The Leopards’ offense got the job done in the doubleheader, recording five hits in the first game and seven hits in the second game, outhitting Bucknell in both games.
“We want to win every game, but it starts with the first pitch,” Miller said. “We pride ourselves in winning the small parts of the game first.”
The Leopards returned home to Kamine Stadium for a chilly non-conference matchup on Wednesday against Saint Peter’s University (7-21 overall), winning 22-11 in their highest-scoring game of the season.
After conceding three first-inning runs to the Peacocks, the Maroon and White exploded for a nine-run frame. The scoring plays included three RBI walks and four RBI singles. After three innings, the lead extended to 15-6.
A six-run sixth inning put the game out of reach, giving the Leopards a double-digit lead. The Peacocks had one final chance in the seventh, scoring one run but failing to prevent a mercy rule.
Zarillo, Colella, junior outfielder Bode Grieve and freshman infielder Alex Barrist each recorded multiple RBIs on the afternoon. Freshman right-handed pitcher Trey Zaffiro picked up the win despite only pitching one inning.
The team will look to continue its momentum against the Naval Academy in a three-game home stand against the Midshipmen on Saturday and Sunday.
