Eye black is a grease or strip applied by athletes under the eyes to reduce glare. Babe Ruth used it. College athletes wrote messages on it until the NCAA ban. Although there have been many studies on its effectiveness at reputable universities, my go to has always been MythBusters. In a 2008 episode that also covered cutting down a tree with a machine gun, the show’s hosts determined that although eye black does not eliminate glare, it does enhance a player’s ability to track moving objects in a sunny environment because it improves the ability to differentiate between light and dark. Ok, enough of the scientific mumbo jumbo. I think former ESPN writer Paul Lukas summed it up best when he said “the real reason everyone loves to wear eye black is that it looks totally cool, like modern war paint.” And by the way, as a laundry public service announcement, if anyone is struggling to get eye black off a uniform, try soaking it in a degreaser before washing.
Against a Broncos team sporting a 2-16 record that had given up an average of 10.6 runs per game, the Dons scored 12 runs on a whopping 16 hits and 5 walks. Eye black master Cole Gwaltney led the team with 3 hits. Ben Pecci, Augie Martinez, Austin Wampler, Henry Garbo, Michael Hamilton, and Hank Bauer all had 2 hits, while Trevor McCarty also got a hit in his lone plate appearance.
Pecci led the team with 3 runs scored. Martinez, Garbo, and Bauer scored 2 runs each, and Gwaltney, Wyatt Cooper, and Dominic Patitucci also scored.
Wampler led the team with 3 RBIs registered on a bases clearing triple, capping a 7-run rally in the top of the 2nd inning. Bauer had 2 RBIs, and Martinez, McCarthy, and Pecci also had one each.
Brendan Miles got the start on the mound. He went 4 innings giving up 3 runs on 4 hits, no walks, and 4 strikeouts.
Isaac Copen pitched the last 3 innings, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. The defense had its challenges again with 6 errors on the day.
Get to know Coaches: Jim’s favorite author is Mark Twain, and Dan doesn’t have a favorite author.
Please come out to watch the Dons on Thursday @ 4pm at home as they close out the season hoping for a win and 0.500 record.