By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Ed Ras’s leadership was put to the test early when the Seton Hall University baseball team opened the season with nine straight losses.
The Allentown High School graduate is a captain for the Pirates, one of nine seniors entrusted to turn around Seton Hall as it heads into Big East conference play.
”There wasn’t an expectation to have a nine-game skid like we did,” said Ras, a left-handed pitcher. “You have to deal with adversity. My class has been through a lot of adversity. We know what it’s like and how to get through it. It wasn’t something we were expecting to come out of the gate with, but now the team has learned to deal with some adversity and it’s going to help us in the long run.”
The Pirates won three of their four games this weekend at their Strike Out Cancer Tournament — their first games at home this year — to jump to 6-10 on the season. Overall, they have won six of their last seven games.
”The last couple years, we’ve gotten off to kind of a slow start,” Ras said. “It was difficult for a time. Guys were trying to do more than they were capable of doing. We talk to our coaches, and our coaches talked to us, and we knew we needed to simplify everything and just keep it simple hitting wise and pitching wise.”
It paid off as the Pirates exploded offensively and were stingy on defense. They began with a terrific all-around game in a 9-0 win over Massachusetts last Friday. After losing to Manhattan, 2-1, in 13 innings, they returned last Saturday to top Manhattan, 17-7. Despite the weather remaining cold, the bats didn’t cool off in an 11-5 win over Massachusetts.
”Coming into the weekend, we knew it was going to be cold,” Ras said. “We thought it would be a lot of pitcher’s duals. Weather benefits a pitcher being able to bust it inside on their hands. I was shocked when we hit the ball that well.”
But Ras wasn’t surprised that the Pirates have started to play some good baseball. After hosting Saint Peter’s on Wednesday, they will open the Big East schedule when they travel to Notre Dame Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
”We’re just starting to come around as a team,” Ras said. “We’re starting to pitch well and starting to hit well. We’re starting to do everything as a team. It’s starting to click for us.
”This definitely gives us a big boost. We hit the ball really well this weekend. We did everything we needed to. We feel we can go into Notre Dame next weekend and possibly take the series from them.”
Ras is in his fourth year in the program, and just as he did at Allentown High, he is a captain in his senior season.
”I was a captain my senior year,” he said. “I really liked embracing that role. I like being one of the main guys people look to and keeping the morale up and showing the way for the younger guys.
”It’s a lot different,” he said of being a college captain. “Everybody has the tools to be successful at this level. It’s now more helping the younger guys learn the game, and keep the morale up and keep fighting for every run and every out. If we’re down, you’re getting the guys going to make a comeback.”
Ras is part of a senior class that could be the key to the Pirates’ turnaround, in that they didn’t panic after the slow start.
”I definitely feel lucky we have this many seniors,” he said. “It’s more help. We have a lot of guys that can keep preaching what we’ve been taught and can keep guys battling out of their slumps.”
Ras’s main focus is with his fellow pitchers. He has appeared in one game and has allowed one walk and no runs. A hamstring strain kept him away from the mound over the weekend, but he hopes to contribute on the field as well as off the field this season. He’s seen plenty of personal growth throughout his career.
”I’m definitely more of an intelligent pitcher,” Ras said. “I’ve learned how to pitch in situations. I’ve learned how to be an actual pitcher rather than just get up there and throw. I know how to get ground balls and outs when I need those as well.”
A communication major, Ras could see himself staying in the game as a coach, and he’s tried to be a leader to the younger pitchers in particular this year. Among the young pitchers is freshman Sam Burum, a right-hander from Robbinsville High School.
On Sunday, Burum improved to 2-0 by throwing 5 innings and allowing just four hits, while all four runs he allowed were unearned. He struck out two and has put together some impressive innings lately. He has now appeared in four games, two as a starter, and no allowed an earned run.
”I see nothing but a good future for him,” Ras said. “In the fall, we were doing intrasquads, and he was struggling with the speed and pace of the game. Having that good start against San Diego boosted his confidence a lot and he knows he can compete at this level. I see nothing but a good career for him.”
If the Pirates can keep getting the pitching like they got from him, they could be tough to beat this year if their offense can also stay consistent.
”This is probably one of the strongest offensive teams we’ve had since we’ve been here,” Ras said. “We got some good younger kids that can really hit. And we have some nice older leadership. That’ll keep us grounded. We are going to try to get to the regional and super regional.”
Ras is hoping this is the year that the Pirates can make their deepest run. His class came in with grand visions, and they would like to exit on a high note.
”After the first couple weeks, I remember we had this feeling about our class,” Ras said. “We were going to help change the face of the program to bring it back to where it was. We have a lot of good leadership. It helps us out that much more. We’re able to help the younger guys out. We’ve been to a regional. We can push those guys forward. Our expectations are to get to the Big East tournament and win it and keep moving on.”
Ras was a late recruit for Seton Hall. He had looked seriously at going to Rider University or Marist College, but he loved his campus visit to Seton Hall and has found the right fit.
”It’s a big commitment,” said Ras, whose brother Michael is a freshman starting for the Mercer County Community College baseball team. “A lot of my time is spent at practice and in the weight room. I have to be able to balance my baseball with my schoolwork. I do see it as something that can help me in the long run helping me to get a job and be a better person.”
Ras’s focus for the immediate future is on making sure that the Pirates continue to play the way they have over the last week. They head into their conference schedule with the confidence that they are now playing the way that they had expected.
”I know amongst the seniors, we knew it was going to come,” Ras said. “Now the challenge is keeping it going. I don’t think we’ve dealt with a situation where we’ve been down that long and come out of it. It’s going to help us.”

