By Ethan Tan
Staff Writer
On April 11, the varsity baseball team will play an away game against Arroyo High School. Last season, the Eagles played against the Knights twice, with the Knights winning the first game, 6-5, and the Eagles winning the second, 5-4.
The Eagles competed against Marshall High School on Wednesday. Scores were not available during press time.
On Monday, the Eagles faced off against Rosemead High School and [won/lost] (insert score.)
As the Eagles move past their (WIN/LOSS) against RHS, players look to improve upon their consistency regarding fundamental skills as those were where most of their errors were made.
Inclement weather caused the team to postpone the March 21 Mission Valley League opener against Mountain View High School to March 24, where the Eagles lost, 0-11.
Senior pitcher and third baseman Nathan Hernandez stated that even though he did not play in the game, he believes that the loss was due to the team’s lack of preparation, referencing their missed practices last week because of the rain.
On March 16, the Eagles lost a close game against Baldwin Park High School, 2-3.
Hernandez stated that along with being unable to find a gap in BPHS’s defense, bad calls made by the umpires prevented them from getting the win.
The Eagles lost to South Pasadena High School on March 12, 0-8.
On March 9, the Eagles managed to obtain their first win of the season against San Gabriel High School, 15-5.
“I’m proud of the win, but we still need to play with consistency so that we can build off the positive things that we did,” stated junior right fielder Jonathan Young.
Pioneer High School played against Gabrielino on March 7, beating them 10-2.
The Eagles batted against Basset High School on March 5, losing 1-12.
On March 2, Gabrielino competed against Mark Keppel High School, losing 0-10.
On Feb. 28, the Eagles lost to Muir High School, 1-6.
For their season opener, the Eagles played Heritage Christian on Feb. 26 and lost, 0-11.
Hoping to recover from their previous season, the Eagles look to improve this season in both league and non-league play. The team is led by seniors Nathan Hernandez, Isaiah Mercado, and Nate Ortega.
“We only have 5 returning varsity players, so it’s hard getting the junior varsities to adjust and get up to speed,” stated Hernandez. “However, everyone adds some character to the team and are good additions to the lineup.”
Coach Mauricio Hernandez, is in his fourth season in his second stint as the varsity baseball coach and is using his prior experience and knowledge to lead the team. Although his players note that he is repetitive with his teachings, he has shaped the program to what it is now since taking the reins in 2014.
“We’re not off to the greatest start in the league, but I think with the group of guys that we have, with hard work and practice, we can turn the season around. There’s a lot of baseball left to be played,” stated Coach Hernandez.
Although the team has had a rough start, the players are looking to improve through practice, so they can stand at the top of the Mission Valley League rankings.
“I think we have a shot at the league title,” stated Hernandez. “We have the talent to do well this year. We just need to show it more on the field.”
