The baseball team was optimistic about the coming season after winning their first non-conference game against Carlynton. They managed to offset their losses by closing out the majority of their games with significant wins. This made sure the team had more time to spend together after losses going over new tactics and enjoying wins. The Bulldogs were able to make enduring memories related to their sport, since they were able to spend a lot of time together as a team.
On Monday, March 25, the team lost their first conference game against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart by a score of 10-5, but that did not stop them from keeping their hopes up and practicing their skills before upcoming games. After the first upset, the team came back, winning their next five conference games in a row. Two of these matches were against the South Side Rams, with games ending in scores of 6-4 and 11-8. One match was against New Brighton, which ended with a score of 13-7. The other two games were against Aliquippa and ended in scores of 10-0 and 21-0. Along with several other conference wins, the team ended with a section record of 8-6.
“Throughout the year, the team improved by starting to play together really well, the team really started to show our true potential. We started to bond a lot more towards the middle of the year which lead to us playing with more confidence in each other. All in all, I believe that the season went really well especially since we made playoffs for the first time in five years. I really think the team came together whenever we went to the Pirates game together” sophomore Garrett Drutarosky said.
On Tuesday, May 7, the baseball team recognized their seniors after their final home game, which was played against Northgate. Freedom played at Northgate the day before, winning with a score of 6-2, and beat them on senior night by a larger score margin of 15-5. All four seniors, consisting of Logan Bickerstaff, Chase Grable, Cody Patterson and Tyler Schulteis, got to play during the game. This gave them a positive way to end the conference and confidence for what would come next.
It had already been a journey filled with ups and downs, but the baseball team also ultimately made a remarkable achievement. For the first time in five years, the Bulldogs had secured a spot in the playoffs, marking a significant milestone for the team and community. The playoff placement was a show of the hard work and dedication of the coaching staff and players. Throughout the season, the team had shown resilience in the face of difficulties, bouncing back from early setbacks to deliver outstanding performances on the field. The players’ dedication to their love of the game as well as their teammates have been evident throughout the season.
After playing their first playoff game against Chartier-Houston on May 14, they reflected on their journey. The team saw that their success was not just about individual talent, but about coming together as a team. The bonds forged through countless hours of practice, tough losses and exciting wins had lifted their spirits and propelled them to new heights, even after the 7-4 loss in the playoffs.
“I think our team did really good during the season. We started out strong as a whole but towards the end, we fell off a little bit, but overall we did really good. It also felt good beating New Brighton and South Side,” sophomore Boden Hilliard said. “Making the playoffs is amazing especially after the team not making it for five years and the team we had this year making it is a huge improvement, but we have some changes we will fix for next year. This team is composed of mostly underclassmen, so playoffs in the future looks very promising.”