By: Dominic Caporale
Staff Reporter
The Sacred Heart Pioneers club baseball team will start their spring season with a three-game series at home against Northeastern University on March 24-25.
The Pioneers finished the first half of their season, which is played from mid-October until mid-November, with a 1-6 record. The team is sure that is not going to define them this spring.
“We struggled a little bit in the fall, but we’re a young team. We were scrambling to find a freshman to take a senior’s spot,” said senior PJ Ciocca.
The Pioneers open next weekend and they are doing everything they can to make the best of what they have. As the seniors prepare to play their last competitive games of baseball, they are willing to do whatever it takes to have the best time they can.
“It’s a lot of fun being a senior and all, and I just want to help get the name for club baseball out there. It needs to be known,” said senior Mike Lotito.
With just a few weeks left in their season, the Pioneers will play a three-game set against Northeastern on March 23-24. Then move on to play a makeup game against University of Massachusetts on April 1.
The Pioneers are looking to make themselves known on campus, and they want it all to start on the diamond.
“We definitely have some goals set,” said Ciocca. “We need to stay more engaged, and be more confident, that’s how were going to snag some wins.”
Lessons learned on the playing field apply to more than just sports. The work ethic and determination that playing competitive sports instills in athletes goes beyond the field.
“I’m definitely going to use what I learned in that diamond in the classroom and life,” said Ciocca.
For the seniors that are left, they are realizing that they just have a few short weeks of baseball left and they are wishing there was more time.
“It’s been a passion of mine since I was a kid,” said Lotito. “It’s a brotherhood I’m going to miss. I can’t believe it’s coming to an end.”
With the Pioneers carrying a roster of 30 athletes, they look to improve each season. With five graduating seniors this year, they look for the younger athletes to step up and fill those positions.
“Being a senior and all of us leaving, I feel like we have to get these younger guys ready” said Lotito.
The seniors that are leaving hold positions in the outfield, at first and third base, and catcher. Finding athletes to take over those positions and prepare for the next season is crucial at this point in the year.
Along with staying focused, the biggest area the Pioneers think they need to improve is their pitching. There are a few underclassmen currently pitching but they are looking for someone to step up and take the mound consistently.
“We just want to help by keep building the team chemistry, something the younger guys can carry on” said Ciocca.
With the spring season quickly approaching, the Pioneers look to get back on track and improve to where they want to be.
The Pioneers will end their spring season with a three-game home series against Boston College on April 21-22.
