Trinity Tripod Athlete of the Week: Brendan Pierce ’18

JUSTIN FORTIER ’18

SPORTS EDITOR

Brendan Pierce ’18 has been an impact player for Men’s Baseball team since day one as a first-year. Measuring 6’ 1” and  weighing 185 pounds, Pierce has a strong swing that led him to have the second best batting average in the NESCAC during his rookie season.

When asked about his baseball roots, Pierce responded, “I started playing when I was about three or four years old. My dad definitely got me involved in sports at a very young age, especially baseball.”

His long-term commitment to the game has paid off, with a season batting average of .358 in the first 17 games. During the fall and winter, the Bantams had an intense training program. Pierce explains,  “In the off season we got numerous repetitions in the field house and focused on trying to refine our skills before going outside. Off the field, we were members of ‘Coach Bill’s mafia’, working hard to get bigger, faster, and stronger in the weight room which contributed to our solid physical preparation.” The Bantams have started the season with a 7-10 record, but thus far the schedule has been filled with non-conference matchups.  Their  conference record is 2-1, which can be partially attributed to Pierce’s 11 runs and 12 RBI’s.

Pierce believes that the Bantams will continue on to a strong NESCAC season, “The team this year is a well-rounded group, that has guys contributing from each separate class with strong senior leadership. I would say that our strength is in depth and a next man up mentality.”

Although Pierce attributes much of the team’s success to the seniors, the sophomore class has a deep talent pool as well. Anthony Eglen, Jr. ’18 recently had astrong pitching performance in a 4-0 Bantam victory over Bowdoin.  While speaking on the tough schedule ahead, Pierce remarks, “Our toughest test going forward will be our ability to play well in all aspects of the game: pitching, defense, and hitting. If we can do that, while being aggressive and carrying a lot of energy for all three conference games each weekend, then we’ll be alright.” Already, Pierce and the Bantams have proven they can play, but will need to strive for consistencyin the future. Pierce confirms, “The rest of the season looks promising because the team has a lot of potential and we haven’t played our best baseball yet.”