They’re not ready to be crowned the Fab Five just yet, but Penn baseball’s newcomers have made an instant impact.
In fact, freshmen infielders Brandon Englehardt and Rick Brebner, pitchers Matt Gotschall and Cody Thomson and outfielder Greg Zebrack, a sophomore transfer, are among the team leaders in many categories.
All five will be playing in their first Ivy League games this weekend when the Quakers (8-10) host a doubleheader against Harvard (3-16) on Saturday and Dartmouth (9-4) on Sunday.
And all five are preparing to face a completely new level of competition.
“We’ve been working all winter with Ivies in mind,” Englehardt said. “The seniors have been telling us that Ivies is when the season really starts.”
For the fresh faces, that means more challenges and more adjustments.
The transition has been smoothest for Englehardt and Gotschall, who sit second on the team in batting average and earned run average, respectively.
In explaining the differences between high-school and college baseball, both highlighted the depth of talent they go up against day in and day out.
“In high school, the 1-5 hitters are the good hitters, and 6-9 are usually easy outs,” Gotschall explained. “In college, every hitter in the other team’s lineup can get you.”
Engelhardt, a second baseman, has formed a stable right side of the infield with first baseman Rick Brebner.
Californians Thomson and Zebrack, meanwhile, have become mainstays in the bullpen and outfield. Thomson boasts the lowest earned run average in a shaky bullpen at 4.08 in 17 2/3 innings, while Zebrack leads the team with six steals.
But the success the new additions have brought has been coupled with team-wide struggles.
Most notably, coach John Cole said that the offense has not done an adequate job with runners in scoring position.
“It’s more of a mental toughness issue,” Cole said. “You just have to believe in yourself, and all we need is one guy to show us the way. Then I think it will spread like wildfire and be contagious.”
With inconsistency plaguing the offense and bullpen, starting pitchers have carried the team.
Cole plans on using righthanders Paul Cusick and Vince Voiro and lefthanders Chris McNulty and Gotschall — who each own an ERA under 4.50 — as his four starting pitchers this weekend.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.