Due to COVID-19, last year’s baseball season was cancelled. There was only one scrimmage game. That’s why this year’s varsity baseball team is excited to get back on the field.

“Seniors Kevin Lawrence, Jake Bauman, Max Ujhazy and Nolan Colaric were robbed of their final high school season,” coach Dan O’Leary said. 

“This season I am expecting a lot from Seniors Cole Beck and Tristan Viscuso and juniors Tristen Clear and Carter Slowinski. Sophomores Luke Snavely, Isaac Barry and Jacob Milbert should also assume key roles. The entire roster will be challenged to contribute in whatever ways they can,” O’Leary said.

The baseball team has been practicing very hard to prepare for their upcoming season. Due to COVID-19, the team started practicing later than their usual starting time. Originally, the team could only practice on Sundays due to the basketball seasons still going on, but recently, they have been practicing more frequently. Their practice schedule for the week of March 7 to March 14 was Monday through Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

The team finally could start practicing outside. However, when they do have to practice inside, they always have a routine. They run three laps, stretch, do more stretching in a line and start throwing in a set way. For each throwing exercise, they do something different, like only using their wrists to throw or staggering their feet and throwing. They go outside anytime they get the chance depending if the weather and field are good. 

This year on the varsity roster are freshman Logan Bickerstaff, Chase Grable and Cody Patterson, sophomores Barry, Evan Blinn, Daniel Lewis, Milbert, Gaevin Sanders and Snavely, kuniors Clear, Slowinski and Josh Yeck and seniors Beck, Brett Boyd, Matthew Keller, Paul Thompson, Viscuso and Ethan Wolfe. 

“Personally, I’m very excited to see what’s in store for us,” Bickerstaff said. “Being around the upperclassmen and the people who have played at this level say it’s always been fun, so I’m excited.”

The first varsity baseball game of the season took place on March 17 at 4:00 p.m. for a home game against Carlynton.

“This year will be great. We have a good team and a good group of guys, and we are just gonna give it our all,” Bickerstaff said.

“We have grown a lot as a team and have gotten a lot better throughout the start of the season. I have a feeling we will do good this year and win lots of games if we play as a team,” Barry said.