By Brooke Bridges
Mashpee High School’s Varsity Baseball team, the defending League Champion of the South Shore League Small Division, is determined to win the Division 4 State Championship this year. The team motto is “Unfinished Business”. The players are ready to repeat and exceed last year’s success.
Mashpee High School’s Varsity Baseball team, the defending League Champion of the South Shore League Small Division, is determined to win the Division 4 State Championship this year. The team motto is “Unfinished Business”. The players are ready to repeat and exceed last year’s success.
The “Unfinished Business” motto applies to last year’s game against Pope (now Saint) John Paull II. To win against them is the team’s first goal on their way to the State Championship. Right fielder Eddie Childs (junior) said, “I think the motto is only towards Pope John Paul.” They were one game away from being in the State Championship, but lost to Saint John Paul II. Michael Fraser (sophomore) reflected on the game: “We got stopped in the tracks when we were on our way to the State Championship; this year we’ve got to get by that game.”
Ari Purdy, center fielder (junior), said, “Hopefully by the end of the season we’ll have a ring, but we have to work hard towards it.” Coach Patenaude wants to see a stronger defensive game; they will be working on throwing and fielding in practice to reduce the amount of errors they make in games. Second baseman Fraser said, “We do infield drills because 90% of the errors are made right on the grass.” Zach Landry (sophomore) refers to it as “refining skills”.
Coach Patenaude said this year’s team has the most focus among past teams. Landry, the shortstop, said it is necessary to focus “day in and day out” in order to be successful this season. Landry, Fraser, Purdy, and Childs all agree that playing as a team helps contribute to their prosperity. Last year’s motto “One Team One Family” will still carry over to this season.
Improvement for this season means becoming physically stronger. “We’ve achieved that. I’ve seen certain players working in the weight room since September,” Coach Patenaude said. The scrimmages over the Easter weekend have showed Coach Patenaude just how ready they are for the season. He feels the team did well for the first time this season against live pitching. He stated that practices have gone well.
Captains have not been named yet, and they may not ever be named. Coach Patenaude recalls that the team hasn’t had captains in the past three years. There is little change in players from last year’s team. Over half the team consists of eleventh graders. Childs stated that more leadership is needed from the upperclassman than there has been in past years.
In the Small School Division of the South Shore League, Cohasset and Monomoy will be on Mashpee’s competition list. Likewise, in the Large School Division, East Bridgewater and Norwell will be the team’s big games.
The journey to the State Championship starts with a home game, on April 6th, against Upper Cape Tech at 3:30PM.
Ari Purdy, center fielder (junior), said, “Hopefully by the end of the season we’ll have a ring, but we have to work hard towards it.” Coach Patenaude wants to see a stronger defensive game; they will be working on throwing and fielding in practice to reduce the amount of errors they make in games. Second baseman Fraser said, “We do infield drills because 90% of the errors are made right on the grass.” Zach Landry (sophomore) refers to it as “refining skills”.
Coach Patenaude said this year’s team has the most focus among past teams. Landry, the shortstop, said it is necessary to focus “day in and day out” in order to be successful this season. Landry, Fraser, Purdy, and Childs all agree that playing as a team helps contribute to their prosperity. Last year’s motto “One Team One Family” will still carry over to this season.
Improvement for this season means becoming physically stronger. “We’ve achieved that. I’ve seen certain players working in the weight room since September,” Coach Patenaude said. The scrimmages over the Easter weekend have showed Coach Patenaude just how ready they are for the season. He feels the team did well for the first time this season against live pitching. He stated that practices have gone well.
Captains have not been named yet, and they may not ever be named. Coach Patenaude recalls that the team hasn’t had captains in the past three years. There is little change in players from last year’s team. Over half the team consists of eleventh graders. Childs stated that more leadership is needed from the upperclassman than there has been in past years.
In the Small School Division of the South Shore League, Cohasset and Monomoy will be on Mashpee’s competition list. Likewise, in the Large School Division, East Bridgewater and Norwell will be the team’s big games.
The journey to the State Championship starts with a home game, on April 6th, against Upper Cape Tech at 3:30PM.