While Jimmy Rollins is busy chasing Joe DiMaggio for the Major League consecutive hits record, Mississippi State shortstop Thomas Berkery is busy chasing a man named Damian Costantino.
Costantino played outfield for Salve Regina, a Division III school in Rhode Island, in 2002 and holds the college baseball record for most consecutive games with a hit at 60 games. The previous record holder was former major-leaguer Robin Ventura with 58.
After Wednesday night’s two-for-four outing, Berkery’s streak currently stands at 25 games.
“I’m trying to get a hit everyday regardless,” Berkery said. “If the streak stays alive, it stays alive.”
Berkery has hit safely in all but one game for the No. 3 Bulldogs this season, the second game of a Sunday doubleheader in the Bulldogs’ season-opening series against Marist.
While the hitting streak is an obvious point of pride for Berkery, he has plenty of other laurels to rest his senior season and legacy on.
He is currently leading the team in batting average (.439), hits (47), slugging percentage (.551) and on-base percentage (.515), proving that he’s not just a one-dimensional player.
Berkery is enjoying the streak, but said he has no idea where it is coming from, or when it might end.
“I’m just putting good swings on pitches. I’ve got my same old-school bat that I always use, though.”
In order for Berkery, a senior and co-captain for the Bulldogs, to break Costantino’s record, he would have to have a hit in every game for the rest of the season, the SEC Tournament and then in all three games of a hypothetical Bulldog regional. That is not something Berkery is concerned with.
“That’s ridiculous. That would be wild. Staying that consistent for the whole year would be unbelievable. You just can’t do it.”
Costantino had the luxury of spreading his streak over parts of three seasons, alleviating the pressure at certain junctures. Should Berkery continue on his current path of destruction through the torrid lineups of the SEC, he will have no such luxury. Eligibility will end for him in May.
The only thing Berkery, known among his teammates for his work ethic and versatility, knows to do is keep swinging and keep playing his game.
“(The key is to) make sure you get your work in practice and other than that just look for good solid pitches,” Berkery said.
Berkery’s streak is the second streak of excitement the State clubhouse has had to deal with this season, the first being the team’s 18-game win streak to start the campaign. He will have his next shot at a hit in tonight’s contest against Georgia.