By Jen Toland, College Beat Writer
March 19, 2013
Worcester, MA --- Worcester State senior right-hander Cruz Rosado labored through four innings last Saturday, allowing five hits, five walks, five earned runs and taking the loss as the Lancers fell to William Paterson, 10-5, in Auburndale, Fla.
But Rosado's first start of the season — and first start since May 8, 2011 — was a triumph in many ways.
Rosado, a former Worcester Tech pitcher who lives in Clinton, missed all of last season after suffering a fractured hip in a car accident. At age 25, Rosado knew this spring likely would be his last chance to play collegiately.
"I'm very happy I was able to come back," Rosado said. "I just want to take this opportunity and give it my all."
Senior outfielder Jake Sanderski, a former Holy Name slugger from Millbury, also battled to get back on the field this year after being academically ineligible the last two seasons.
"I realized what a great opportunity it is to play college sports when I couldn't play anymore," said Sanderski, who batted .374 for the Lancers as a freshman.
From the leadoff spot, Sanderski got off to a great start this season with six hits in his first 13 at-bats, two RBIs and three runs.
"He could roll out of bed and hit a double," Worcester State coach Dirk Baker said.
But as bad luck would have it, Sanderski suffered a broken collarbone when he collided with shortstop Zach George while going after a fly ball in the second game of Worcester State's doubleheader against the College of New Jersey on Friday.
Sanderski is done for the season. "We lost one of our best players," Baker said.
The Lancers, who have four more games in Florida before returning north to play at Endicott on March 26, are 3-4 and hoping to rebound after a disappointing 2012 season. Worcester State won 30 games in 2009 and 2010, made the NCAA Division 3 tournament in '10, and qualified for the ECAC tournament in 2011 after going 23-15.
Last year, Worcester State went 15-24, its lowest win total since 1997.
"We have a good team, a real young team (14 sophomores)," Rosado said. "I'm kind of the odd ball at 25. I'm playing more as a leader, keeping these kids intact so we can have a rebuilding season from last year."
Rosado, who grew up in Worcester, was a T&G Super Team selection as a senior at what was then Worcester Voke and helped his team to the Division 3 state final his junior year. In the Central Mass. semifinals that season, Rosado struck out 20 in a no-hit performance against Southbridge High.
After graduation, he went to Florida to attend school and play baseball, but when that didn't work out, he returned home, enrolled at Quinsigamond Community College, played baseball and earned his associate's degree.
Rosado then came to Worcester State and was a nice addition to the Lancers' rotation in 2011 as the No. 4 starter. In 10 appearances (eight starts), he went 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA.
In December 2011, Rosado broke his right hip in a car accident. He underwent surgery, was on crutches for four months, and was progressing with his recovery in late April 2012 when he got news that his sister had died in Florida.
"It was the worst year of my life," Rosado said.
Rosado, the youngest of seven siblings, said he wasn't close with his sister, and he found out only after her death that she often talked about him and his endeavors on the baseball field.
"I kept rebuilding," Rosado said. "I kept working hard in the gym so I could come back and play. I feel life in the field."
Rosado has five screws and a plate in his hip. All that hardware and the cold weather here have caused him some issues with tight hamstrings, but he's hoping the warm weather in Florida will help them loosen up.
"We didn't have Cruz for 2012, so he's back for his final season in 2013," Baker said. "No one competes harder than Cruz, and he has been a winner all his life."
Rosado said he always knew he'd be back; it was just a matter of how his body would react after the injury. He wants to help the Lancers win this year.
"That's the great thing about sports," Baker said. "You get motivated to come back because of the team. It's a push, it's definitely a push."