After a match cut short by a forfeit from El Cajon Valley, the baseball team was left wanting more action. The team came out with a strong first inning, overwhelming the opposing team and keeping the pressure on them. By the third inning, ECV had had enough.
“I was left with some excitement with our win because it showed us how strong our team was,” Nicki Cardenas, 11, said.
Although the game had to end in the third inning, the team was able to show how strong they were from the start of the game. Many of the baseball players such as Cardenas and Manny LaChappa did not expect the to end so quickly; they were able to celebrate the win.
“When we beat El Cajon Valley we were stunned by what had happened because the game ended so early with a score of 23-2 in the third inning,” Cardenas, 11, said
The abbreviated game meant that the boys didn’t get as much paying time, but the swift victory also boosted their confidence for the rest of the season. While they were ready for the match, the team did not anticipate such a clear victory. Many of the runs scored were the result of walked players, making it clear that ECV needed to work on their pitching.
“We do our traditional warmups and stretches and we use a wiffle ball to practice our pitching and batting before the game and we don’t get cocky because it really does make our team crumble,” Jacob Morales, 11, said.
The team doesn’t like to get cocky before the game because it makes them get too confident and the team then starts to have a bad chemistry during the game. The reason why they start to have bad chemistry is because they get too confident and then they start to get beaten which then makes the team get mad at eachother.
“Me and my teammates know that we should not judge or be cocky to the other team because maybe they are a big challenge. if we get too cocky we really do see our team start to perform badly,” La Chappa, 12, said.
After trampling ECV, the boys feel ready for the rest of the season. Ultimately, they want to dominate their season, with sights set on making playoffs and heading to CIF.
“I really do see the team going on to CIF but we have to keep on practicing in order to go to CIF. If we really want something then we have to work hard for it and not let that stop us.” Morales said.
The team hasn’t appeared in the post season finals since 2021, when the play period was cut short due to COVID. Four years later, they are ready to work together to meet their goals.
“Most of us are really working hard to be on Varsity and deserve that spot. Other players can step up and work harder to earn it,” La Chappa said.
