By Mason Turingan, senior
In anticipation of the upcoming baseball season, the Richmond Hill Lions baseball team return, hungry for a strong start with their first official game on April 2nd.
Last year, the team had a successful end to their regular season finishing 14-8 highlighted by a no-hitter and a win in the playoffs. However, hopes to make it far were cut short after a tough loss in the second game vs the top seeded Gregorio Luperon Generals. Captain Anaisco “Pepe” Ortiz felt that “not a lot of strikes” in the game was something to work on, but believed the teamwork was excellent.
Despite the southpaw (left-handed pitcher) entering only his sophomore season, he’s no stranger to pressure, participating in scouting events such as Metro Scout Day and Perfect Game Select Festival, where some of the most talented players have the opportunity to showcase their skills. At the same time, he recognizes the importance of working together, shown by how he acts with his teammates on and off the field. Ortiz is looking to lead the team with unwavering determination, believing they will “play harder than [they] did last season” and “go deeper into the playoffs.”
Coach Wallace meets with the team during a scrimmage.
Several members on the team have also emphasized that they’re using last year as a valuable lesson. Sophomore Angelo Pabon explained that one of the biggest changes he made was adjusting his mentality by “keeping focus and eliminating distractions.”
While the majority of the team is returning, some veterans are stepping into leadership roles left by departing seniors. “[It’s] definitely a shift from last year,” Pabon said. “We had three senior captains, but I do feel confident in our [new] captains and ability to perform as a team.”
Entering his third year on varsity baseball, Captain Malachi Butler (right hand pitcher) is ready to manage with confidence. “For my freshman and sophomore year I had some leaders [who] guided me and showed me the right way to lead the team.” Butler and other captains are seeking to follow in their predecessors’ footsteps but also direct by their own example, continuing the cycle of brotherhood.
Butler is also assured in the trust that the team has built with each other. He voiced that the team has “been bonding [and] building a brotherly connection,” becoming more united, motivating each other to push harder and helping out where anyone is struggling. “The whole team has grown,” he said, confident in how they’ve “improved [their] craft.” That certainty is pervasive through the entire team. “We plan on taking it all the way,” Butler concluded.
The season for the Lions officially starts April 2, 2024 where they take the field at Benjamin Cardozo High School.