A single home run in the ninth inning by the Coast Guard Academy was not enough for them to prevail in the second game of their series against Wheaton College’s baseball team.
In this two-game series, Wheaton’s 10-3 baseball team was able to outplay and outlast the Coast Guard Academy as they outscored them 5-0 in the first game, and later in the day beating them once again 9-1.
This two-game series played on March 24 were the first games of the season to be planned within the NEWMAC conference by Wheaton College. These two games have tied Wheaton with Babson in the NEWMAC standings. Although Rabson has a better overall record statistically, they have won the same amount of interconference games. Springfield, another divisional rival, also has two division wins but has an overall record of 6-6. This early into interconference play it would be hard to predict which team will come out on top with over a dozen conference games left to play. But it can be said that these early victories have put Wheaton in a good position as they move forward.
The competitiveness of the baseball team is something that has been present in the past few seasons and that is something that the team is looking to continue as they battle it out through the rest of the season. In the eyes of catcher Nick Raposo ‘20, who has already had an impressive year through the first thirteen games of the season, “This team is very similar to teams in the past, so far we have shown the ability to compete at a high level every day and play for each other. We need to continue to find ways to win games just like we have in the past.”
But the team knows that they have areas to improve on. The baseball team does not face an easy schedule ahead of them; playing five games before the month of March is over, three of them against teams in the NEWMAC conference. As any baseball player or fan would know, no one knows how a game will turn out. No one knows whether your team will rake up hits, or if you and your teammates have to make the long walk back to the dugout after striking out on three straight strikes. Baseball is a sport where anything can happen, and it takes nine people showing up and working their hardest every day for a team to pull a win together. There are no certainties, and one mistake or one amazing play can change a game. Wheaton’s baseball team has been impressive so far and has a great record as they enter the month of April but that is no guarantee for further success. In the words of Raposo, “I think we still need to work on everything, baseball is a game where everything is never perfect and practice needs to happen every day no matter how good or bad it’s going for yourself or your team.”