By Laura Amato
Patrick Morrissey was always easy to spot.
After all, at 6-foot-3, the Holy Cross ace struck a fairly imposing figure every time he took the mound. Morrissey was a standout with the Knights for years, but after wrapping up his senior season this spring, the pitcher is hoping his legacy lasts a bit longer than just four years in high school.
Morrissey helped lead Holy Cross to its best finish in nearly a decade this year and after making an appearance in the Mayor’s Cup last Thursday, he knew he’d left everything on the field.
“I thought I had a bad start at the beginning of the year, but then I ended up finding it towards the end of it,” Morrissey said. “As a group though, we ended up playing really well, and that’s the farthest we’ve made it in a while.”
Morrissey was the unquestioned leader in the Holy Cross dugout. He led the team in nearly every statistical category and while he wasn’t the most boisterous player in the league, he was one of the most determined.
It wasn’t always easy — Holy Cross, like every team in the league, dealt with its fair share of weather issues this spring — but Morrissey did his best to make the most of what was given to him and his hard work showed in his stat line.
Morrissey hit .333 with seven extra-base hits and 21 RBI. He also posted a 1.38 ERA and struck out 77 batters in 45.2 innings pitched.
“He’s been huge. We’re going to miss him a ton,” Holy Cross coach Steve Adams said. “He was our leading hitter this year, led the team in RBIs, batting average, home runs, slugg-ing percentage. He was our best pitcher for two years and he’ll be tough to lose and to replace.”
The key for Morrissey this season was simple: Don’t focus on the stats, just focus on the pitching. He took every opposing at-bat as a personal challenge, a one-on-one matchup between him and the hitter, and the only way to win was to throw strikes.
“It’s more of a personal goal to get the hitters out,” Morrissey said. “You want to try and strike out the best players in the city, that’s just my goal every time I pitch.”
Morrissey wasn’t always perfect this spring. He’s the first to point out he struggled early on, but the Knights star found his stride down the stretch and led Holy Cross to a pair of playoff victories.
The squad came up short against Iona Prep in the CHSAA tournament, but Morrissey knew the finish was a step in the right direction and he’s hopeful the Knights can keep building – even after he’s graduated.
“I think it’s going to help them,” Morrissey said. “We set the bar and they’re going to make it better eventually.”
Morrissey, now, is hoping to make an immediate impact at the college level. He’s set to head to St. Thomas Aquinas next fall, looking to earn a spot in the rotation and stand out on the mound.
He knows it’ll be a challenge, but after his time at Holy Cross, Morrissey is certain he’s more than prepared.
“I want to just get better,” he said. “That’s really it. I want to throw strikes. I know I have to work hard to earn my spot on the team and I’m excited for that.”
