Misericordia University Baseball: The Art of the Hit-By-Pitch
A college baseball team, the Misericordia University Cougars, has redefined the sport with a unique strategy: embracing the hit-by-pitch (HBP). This approach, seemingly simple yet remarkably effective, has propelled them to the forefront of Division-III baseball.
The Rise of HBP-U
In a sport where avoiding the ball is paramount, Misericordia has adopted the opposite tactic: standing firm in the batter's box. While the New York Mets set a modern MLB record in 2022 with 114 hit-by-pitches in 165 games (0.69 HBPs per game), the Cougars shattered collegiate records. During the season, they were hit 153 times in 52 games, averaging 2.94 hit batters per game, an all-time NCAA record. This strategy has been instrumental in their journey to the D-III World Series.
A Decade of Dedication to the Plunk
Since 2014, the Cougars have averaged 111 HBPs per season. This isn't accidental; it's a deliberate strategy. As Dante Salerno, a former Misericordia outfielder and current D-III assistant, noted, "Some of these guys will stand there, not move and take one off the ribs like a f***ing maniac."
Jeremy DeCoutiis, a 2017 graduate and the program's all-time leader in HBPs, emphasized the team's enthusiastic support: "When you get hit by a pitch, in that program, there are 30 plus guys on the bench going absolutely apes*** for you." Kyle Lindsay, a former Misericordia player and assistant coach, now the head man at Ursinus College, described DeCoutiis's unflinching approach: "He just didn’t move, man. It would be coming in and he would just let it hit him, not move a muscle, not flinch. The whole dugout would be in awe. He was a tough son of a bitch."
The Genesis of a Strategy
Head Coach Pete Egbert, who has led the Misericordia baseball program since 2007, credits the strategy's development to a suggestion from a graduate assistant, Andrew Bennett, around 2011. Bennett observed that many players were avoiding pitches and proposed the idea of simply not moving. "He said ‘what happens if they… just don’t get out of the way anymore,’" Egbert told FOX Sports. "So we introduced that to the program, the kids bought into it, our on-base percentages went way up and now it’s something that our whole team takes a lot of pride in. It’s taken on a whole new meaning for us, year after year."
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This simple adjustment led to a significant increase in on-base percentages and became a defining characteristic of the program.
Recruiting for Resilience
Like other programs, Egbert and Co. began recruiting for their unique system. They seek players who fit the grit-and-grind small-ball mold: overlooked, undersized athletes who can make contact, wreak havoc on the basepaths and aren’t afraid of getting plunked. "It really is a part of the recruiting process," admitted Kyle Lindsay. "It’s an identity. It’s not a perfect science. But if you look at the roster, it’s full of 5-8, 165-pound, hard-nosed kids who can flat-out run."
Training to Take One for the Team
Once recruits join the team, they are indoctrinated into the take-one-for-the-team philosophy. "I can remember multiple instances, whether it’s batting practice, cage work, scrimmages, whatever," DeCoutiis recounted. "Where if you move out of the way, you are going to lose your at-bat. And if you [avoid a pitch] in a game, you’ll have 30+ guys on your own team chirping at you."
The program reinforces this behavior through reward systems, such as granting extra swings in the cage for HBPs during practice. Teammates compete to accumulate the most free bases, sometimes wagering cases of beer and bragging rights. Alumni share legendary tales of plunkings, celebrating hit-by-pitch takers as heroes.
Safety Considerations
Injuries are an inherent risk in this strategy. The program emphasizes the importance of learning how to get hit properly, similar to how a boxer learns to take a punch. Getting hit in fleshy areas is preferable to taking a ball to a bone.
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Players are generally allowed to dodge pitches near their head or, if they are fast and a base-stealing threat, pitches at their feet. However, any other pitch is expected to be taken without evasion to maintain their position in the lineup.
Disrupting the Pitcher's Mindset
The Cougars are not intentionally leaning into pitches. They are simply not avoiding them. This approach, combined with the challenges many small college pitchers face in consistently locating pitches and maintaining composure, creates a strategic advantage.
"It’s interesting what it does to opposing pitchers," Egbert explained. "It gets them out of character. They know that this is a part of our game so it impacts their game, what pitches they throw, how they hold runners, where they try to locate, their rhythm."
The team's smaller stature also contributes to their high HBP rate. Shorter arms often lead players to stand closer to the plate, increasing their vulnerability to being hit. Garrett McIlhenney, a 5-5 outfielder with a .404 average and 41 steals, exemplifies this, leading the nation with 30 HBPs and a .598 on-base percentage.
Arcadia University head coach Bryan Torresani, whose team faced Misericordia multiple times, noted, "We hit that McIlhenny kid seven times this year in six games. For me, I’ve learned to understand that if we’re going to play them, we’re going to plunk them a couple times."
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Respect, Not Ridicule
Despite the unconventional approach, Misericordia's strategy is widely respected among other coaches. Bryan Torresani stated, "Nobody sees it as bush league because they do it by the book. Egbert just does a good job of getting his kids to never move out of the way. They feast on fear."
Jonas Fester, the head coach of Lebanon Valley College, added, "When you play [Misericordia], it’s very clear that [Egbert] has a system and he has players that fit the system. He’s deliberate, he’s serious, he’s thoughtful, he’s professional. And when you play them you can’t even really tell that they lead the country [in HBPs]. It’s not obvious. It’s just like they have tractor beams on them. They are death by a thousand papercuts."
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