The Hasbrouck Heights baseball team continued to follow the same path on Friday as they have done all season.
The Aviators have not been able to get the big hit that would lead to a big inning.
And that was the case against Harrison in a North Jersey Interscholastic Conference Meadowlands crossover matchup at Gary Depken Field.
The Aviators could not catch up to the Blue Tide and fell 5-3. The loss continued the up and down season for Heights which dropped to 5-6 after the loss.
"That has been how the season has been going right now when you have a young team like ours," said Hasbrouck Heights head coach Rocco Minichiello.
Heights managed eight hits off Harrison pitcher Sean Byrne but the timing fell short.
"We did get some big hits, but not enough of them," said Minichiello.
Aviators first baseman Ray Espinosa was 2-for-3 on the day including a pair of doubles, and third baseman Kevin O'Leary also banged out a pair of hits.
The Blue Tide put two runs across the board for a 2-0 lead, leaving the Aviators to play catch-up for the rest of the contest.
HH pitcher Steven Sears settled down after the rocky start. Minichiello believes that the delay in starting the game might have hurt his pitcher.
"With the delay I think he was a little stiff to start the game," said Minichiello about Sears.
The Aviators had a few chances to get on the scoreboard but the fates just weren't with them on Friday.
It does not get easier for Heights as they take on a pair of quality baseball teams next week at Lyndhurst on May 3 and at Emerson on May 6 in a NJIC crossover games.
Hasbrouck Heights 2011 baseball schedule
(Games at 4 p.m. unless noted)
May 3 at Lyndhurst
May 5 at Weehawken
May 6 at Emerson
May 9 at Saddle Brook
May 11 Hawthorne
May 12 at River Dell
May 13 at St. Mary
May 14 Weehawken, 10 a.m.
May 17 at Wallington
May 19 Wood-Ridge, Staten Island Yankees, 6:30 p.m.