You can't overstate how well sophomore outfielder Joe Harten has started the baseball season for St. Joseph's of Brooklyn.
The Moore Catholic product hit three home runs and drove in 10 runs in his first game. He went 5 for 5 in that season opener, but the Bears lost to Mount St. Vincent, 15-14.
"I just felt real comfortable at the plate, really for the first three or four games," said Harten. "That first game was a heartbreaker. Even though I had a great day at the plate, I would have loved to get the W."
So far, in seven games (the Bears are 2-5), Harten is hitting .333 with a team-leading four homers and 13 RBI. Last Thursday, Harten's three-run homer ended a 14-13 win over John Jay. That's the way to make fast friends on a baseball team.
"Everybody in the dugout said afterward that they knew if I got my pitch I could put one out and end the game," said Harten. "I struck out twice earlier in the game because I think I was trying to do too much. My third at-bat I singled, so coming to the plate in that spot I was looking for something to drive and got one middle-in. It felt great."
Harten landed at St. Joseph's after playing half a season at Division II Molloy. He was originally recruited by St. Joseph's, however.
"Originally I was going to (St. Joseph's). But I wanted the chance to play at a bigger division school, so I tried it," said Harten. "But I wasn't getting the playing time I thought I was going to get. I'm not the type that can sit on the bench every game."
So Harten left for St. Joe's. He already knew some of the players, including Staten Islanders Kevin Diaz and Joe Geloso (Farrell), New Dorp's Tom Karasinski, Moore's Anthony Langone and Xaverian's Danny Contant.
It was nearly a full calendar year between collegiate at-bats for Harten, who stayed sharp in the Island sandlot leagues. He showed no rust in his early-season tear, but Harten said he hasn't hit the way he has wanted to over the past four games.
"Lately I have been slumping a little bit," he said. "I feel like I have still hit the ball hard, but things haven't been falling. I think I got my pitch a lot early in the year and now I just have to be more selective. You just have to realize that baseball is a game of failures. There's that saying that great hitters fail seven out of 10 times."