Junior outfielder Matt Masciangelo, was hit by a pitch once in the 2023 season, but after Sacramento State men’s baseball season opening doubleheader against Loyola Marymount University on Friday, Masciangelo’s hit-by-pitch total stands at seven.
After two games played, Masciangelo is one HBP shy of matching Wehiwa Aloy’s, who played 56 games, total number of HBPs from the 2023 season.
While there is no NCAA record for the person who’s been hit by the most pitches in a doubleheader, the MLB record was set by former Chicago Cubs first baseman Frank Chance, who was hit five times in a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds on May 30, 1904.
A player getting hit seven times in eight plate appearances is unheard of and caught the attention of several big media outlets like Jomboy Media and Barstool Sports.
“It’s crazy that all happened,” Masciangelo said. “Obviously, I was trying to put together some good at bats, but it ended up just kinda coming my way you know.”
Being hit seven times took its toll on Masciangelo. He was pulled in the 8th inning after making a diving catch on the left-field line and the trainer had to escort him off the field.
“Just started to cramp up, just a long day at the field,” Masciangelo said. “I was also getting hit a lot, so it kinda all caught up to me.”
LMU may have not noticed that Masciangelo was subbed out of the game, because in the bottom of the 10th inning, redshirt freshman Brett Ott, who replaced Masciangelo in the lineup, was hit by a pitch.
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Sac State head coach Reggie Christiansen, believes that Masciangelo played a big part in both games, where he learned after the fact that Masciangelo leads the nation in HBPs.
“I think left fielder Matt Masciangelo had kind of a career day out there right,” Christiansen said. “Seven hit-by-pitches in two games you know.”
While getting hit by a pitch is never fun, if you told any player that they’d be getting on base seven times in eight plate appearances, they’d be ecstatic.
Masciangelo currently sports a .875 on-base percentage, which leads the Hornets for players with a minimum of two plate appearances. An on-base percentage like that would have Brad Pitt in Moneyball salivating.
The good news for Masciangelo is that Sac State has the day off Saturday, but the bad news is that he will have to face the LMU pitching staff once more on Sunday at 10 a.m. where all eyes will be on Masciangelo as he steps up to plate at John Smith Field.
