With their backs against the wall and facing a series sweep against James Madison, Frank Pesanello hit an RBI double, knocking in the game-winning run and putting the Huskies up, 2-1. It was his only hit of the game, his second for the weekend, to go along with three walks. His play earned Pesanello this week’s Huntington News Player of the Week honors.
‘ Pesanello is a senior criminal justice major. He transferred to Northeastern from Maine for a few reasons, including the playing situation and coaches at Maine. He redshirted his sophomore year and did not lose a year of eligibility.
The senior catcher has been a constant source of power at the plate.’ Last season he set the single season home run record for Northeastern with 20 home runs and is also quickly approaching the career record of 37 home runs, with his 30 blasts so far.
Pesanello has had a down season early on, though with the game-winning hit, he said that his season may start to turn around. This season pitchers are taking a more cautious approach with him at the plate.
‘The whole weekend they were pitching around me,’ Pesanello said. ‘Me and [senior third baseman Mike]’ Tamsin, they were pitching around us, they wouldn’t pitch us anything at all. Finally the last day I got something good to hit, I got walked [three times] on the weekend, then I got the pitch I wanted and I drove it up the gap.’
This past summer the backstop played for two different teams. He started the summer in the Cape Cod Baseball League as a member of the Harwich Mariners, eventual league champions, with pitcher Ryan Quigley and outfielder Tony DiCesare. He was only a temporary player and went 3-for-10 before leaving. He then moved to the North Shore Navigators from the New England College Baseball League. He also hit about .300 while playing for them.
‘ Pesanello has received some attention from scouts with his performances last season and this past summer. He said he is unsure of his post baseball plans as of now and may want to go into something in the criminal justice field.
‘ ‘I probably have to pick it up a little bit and get my stats up, more home runs in order to have a shot at getting drafted,’ Pesanello said.’ ‘I’ll only go as far as I can.’ [After baseball], I’d want to be a state trooper or something like that, I’ll see what opens up.’

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‘ ‘- Nathan Vaughan, News Staff.