Cole explores art of morale boosting

Baseball coach John Cole called the entire weekend against Cornell a "big downer."

Penn was shaken up to the tune of three losses in four games amid rain delays, extra innings and a hailstorm of Big Red offense, which poured on 36 runs to the Quakers' 19.

But the first part of this week has been the Quakers' chance to mix things up.

In preparation for today's game against La Salle, the Red and Blue took a much-needed day off on Monday, then practiced yesterday with a different focus.

"We're trying to get them to feel good about themselves," Cole said. "[We tried to] do some things different: situational hitting, slow some things down - try to get them back on the right track."

If that doesn't work, a look at the Explorers' 6-27 record should make the Quakers (12-14, 4-6 Ivy) beam with excitement. Penn's Big 5 competitor stumbles into Meiklejohn Stadium having lost 13 of its last 15 contests.

But, although the Quakers are 2-1 against Big 5 teams this season, a win today would bring them to just .500 on the season at their home field.

The Quakers will try not to overlook the downtrodden Explorers, but rather use the game as a tune up for Princeton.

Cole said that his team would have a "bullpen staff day," as it usually does for midweek games, in which "six or seven" pitchers will be used.

Things should be similar in the La Salle dugout.

"They have a league game coming up soon," Cole said. "I don't know if they'll go as deep as we will, but there will be a couple [different pitchers] we'll see."

That said, the Quakers may not be intimidated by any of La Salle's pitchers: The team sports a 7.35 earned run average, and Kevin Fuqua is the Explorers' ace with a 4.66 ERA.

Pitching aside, Penn might want to watch out for one-man-show John Rickards.

The senior second baseman was on base four times in the Explorers' victory over the Quakers last season at Meiklejohn.

This year, the Chalfont, Pa., native is leading his team in nearly every offensive category, including on-base-percentage (.417), slugging-percentage (.597), RBI (26) and home runs (6).

But the Quakers have a few infield studs of their own. Born-again hitter and second baseman Steve Gable is swinging at a .425 clip and freshman shortstop Dan Williams is now third on the team with a .327 average.

While the team was struggling Saturday and Sunday, Williams had a monster weekend with eight hits, two homers, four RBI and four runs.

"I was happy to see him break out," Cole said. "Hopefully it will continue. That's what you look for in a young kid, as the season goes on, for them to get better."

If Williams can stay hot - and get some help from his teammates - the Quakers should be able to put up enough runs to down La Salle.

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