With their first ‘normal’ season since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the boys baseball team has had a successful season so far with a 20-3 record currently. The players are going full steam ahead toward meeting their ultimate goal heading into playoffs– winning the state championship. Head Varsity Coach Randall Lerner explained in order to win state, “[it] will take seven straight wins (once playoffs start) to accomplish.” He continued, “We will need to play selfless, team baseball, execute our jobs to the best of our training and eliminate our mental mistakes.”

Photo by Kate Hill

Player to Player: Before a Saturday, May 7, scrimmage, Juniors Danny Connelly and Zachary Johnson warm-up by playing catch. While all great teams have had their fair share of difficult games, Connelly expressed that the team perseveres through these difficult games with “chemistry and confidence.” “We are always there to back each other up, and it makes for a super-strong team when things aren’t quite going our way. We trust ourselves and all the hard work we have put in, especially when we are losing. We know that we are the better team, and we go out and play like it with confidence. It has worked so far, and we hope it continues to throughout the playoffs.”

Photo by Kate Hill

Eyes on the Prize: Junior Michael Carlson attempts to swing mid-hit against Red team’s pitcher Cody Yakimisky at the top of the third inning during a scrimmage game. Carlson describes the team’s mindset heading into playoffs. “We’ve experienced pressure and nerve-racking moments before, so we are confident in our abilities to compete and perform in the playoffs.”

Photo by Kate Hill

Confidence under pressure: Junior Chris Callas talks to Assistant Coach Jeff Sweno after Gray team’s #20 batted a base hit during the scrimmage game on Saturday. Callas explained that the most exciting part of his season so far was “when we swept Stevenson.” He added, “It was really exciting and made the team really confident.”

Photo by Kate Hill

All Smiles: On deck, Junior Ryan Geraghty warms up before heading on base with Senior Tommy Sterelecki on the right. Geraghty is most looking forward to “celebrating after winning state,” leading into playoffs. He continues, “We put incredible amounts of work day in and day out. Everyone accepts their role on the team extremely well, which is great for our performance as well. I think a lot of us are just playing the game we love, and because of that, we don’t feel much pressure.”

Photo by Kate Hill

Team bonding on and off the field: After the scrimmage game on Saturday, May 7, players shook hands with the Gray team winning against the Red team 6-1. Senior Andrew Wellington explained the tightness of the group, especially with having the same goal of winning the state championship. “We have very high expectations for each other, so to keep the team motivated isn’t a challenge at all. All I really have to do is mention something about a state championship, and everyone always seems to stay motivated and work to get better to achieve that goal.” He added, “Because we are so close, we hang out after the games to get food, so it’s really good that we have been able to create such a strong bond with each other.”