With a new season on the horizon, the Malden High School baseball team began to host captains practices for new and returning players to get extra time to get familiar with the game before the fast-approaching season arrives.
In the previous season, the baseball team finished with an overall record of 11-9-1. The captains Jake Simpson, Ryan Coggswell, and Ezechiel Noelsaint have high hopes and goals both personal and for the team for the new season. “I just want to improve overall as a hitter and as a pitcher, first baseman, and outfielder. From a team standpoint, I would like for us to go back to the state tournament and be a little bit more competitive this year. The biggest one we have had is being in the running for the GBL title”, stated Christopher MacDonald who has been playing since he was five years old.
There are nine different positions in the field. There is a catcher, pitcher, first-second and third baseman, shortstop, left, center, and right fielder, and in front of the pitcher is the hitter. Captain's practices are the perfect place to figure out which position you play best in.
There is a lot to look forward to in a new season, it is a fresh start where you can show other teams what you are made of. “I'm looking forward to playing with the same team as last year… and hopefully we can do good again this year,” stated Jake Simpson, a captain who has been playing baseball for 13 years.
Last year the Malden High School baseball team placed 5th in the GBL. “Ever since the beginning of last year our goal has been to win the GBL and we believe we can do that… with the talent that we have and the trust we have in each other it’s definitely possible and we hope to achieve that,” said MacDonald.
The first game of the season is on March 29th against Salem Academy Charter School. Although captains' practices are not mandatory, once actual practices begin, players should “come in ready to work and get better at practice every day because we have a team full of competitive guys who want to win badly,” concluded MacDonald.
