Frank Pesanello quickly became an asset to Northeastern after he transferred from Maine last semester. He is batting .265 in 34 at-bats this season including going 5-9 with two home runs in a double-header sweep at Towson Saturday, earning him The Northeastern News Player of the Week honors.
“I was struggling a bit in the first half of the season,but I have been taking a lot of batting practice and working hard at practice,” Pesanello said. “It paid off this weekend at Towson. The pitching wasn’t great this weekend, it was average. But they were throwing strikes so we were able to get hits.”
The team won both games of the double-header Saturday (12-10, 10-4) but dropped the final game Sunday (10-8). Pesanello finished the weekend with two home runs, two doubles, five RBIs and five runs scored.
Yesterday in the 5-4 extra-inning win Pesanello went 0-3 and was hit by two pitches.
“I had a little bad luck yesterday,” he said. “I hit the ball hard but right at people. One kid made a diving play and threw me out and I just couldn’t get anything to drop. But I am still seeing the ball well and I feel comfortable at the plate so I am not worried.”
Pesanello came to Northeastern after a coaching change at Maine left him without a team.
“There was a coaching change at Maine and he brought in his own players and I didn’t fit into what he was doing,” Pesanello said. “We just didn’t get along.”
He had connections to Northeastern and contacted head coach Neil McPhee. He grew up down the street from Husky shortstop Mike Lyons and played summer ball with outfielder Mike Tamsin in Danbury, Conn.
“Mike told me to e-mail coach and he came to see me play the day after I did,” Pesanello said. “There was only two weeks until classes started and everything just fell into place.”
With his ties to the team it was an easy transition and he said he is doing better academically.
“I knew some of the guys and played against some in high school,” he said. “I am doing better in my classes and things are just going well.”
– Erika Carrubba, News Staff
