Chargers struggle in Florida tournament

Despite losing first three games straight, team comes away with improved defense

 

Senior Max Langford throws a pitch during a recent home game. Langford and the varsity baseball team went 3-1 in a spring break tournament in Florida. The team attributed the poor record to their lack of game preparation going into the trip but benefitted from the team bonding. PHOTO BY JON ROSER

 

By Ricky Parks
April 25, 2008

 

The boys varsity baseball team lost three games and won one in a tournament March 17- 20 in Orlando.

 

The team fell to Olympia High School (Fla.) 11-1, Woodson (Va.) 2-1, and Brentwood Academy (Tenn.) 1-0 and defeated Salisbury (Conn.) 6-1.

 

 “Most of the teams we played were already through their seasons and getting ready for the playoffs, so I feel we did pretty well since we were able to hold most of them to one or two runs,” senior Max Langford said.

 

For players who went to the same tournament in Florida last year, things were definitely different.

 

“The same teams didn’t return from last year, but I feel this proves we can hang with any team,” senior Chris Yates said.

 

Although the results were not what they hoped for, senior Keith Morrisroe said that it was a good experience.

 

“The games helped to show us what we need to work on, like defense, and I feel that we were better defensively coming out than when we went in because we were having balls hit to us in games instead of batting practice, and had to make the play,” Morrisroe said.

 

Defense was not the only thing the team improved on.

 

“We have had better at-bats and focus at the plate since the tournament,” senior Chris Gentile said.

 

The Florida conditions were also a welcome change for the team.

 

“It was very beneficial for the team to get to play in nice weather and on nice fields, especially since the weather up here is not perfect for baseball right now,” coach Kevin Ford said.

 

The pitching was another thing that took some getting used to.

 

“We had to get used to the live pitching, which is very different from coach pitching to us,” Morrisroe said.

 

Differences affected the pitchers as well.

 

“The umpires down in Florida are different than in Virginia,” Langford said. “They had a different strike zone, and they didn’t really like anything high.”

 

The speed of the pitches also had an impact on hitters.

 

“The faster pitching was a good learning experience for me because in the off-season it is usually just batting practice, so it took a while to get adjusted,” Gentile said.

 

The trip affected the team off the field as well.

 

“Staying at the same hotel and eating breakfast as a team helped us get closer,” Morrisroe said.

 

Most of the players on the team already knew each other, but senior Pat Moore said that the other teams had a definite advantage.

 

“Most of the teams were much more polished than us since they were already through their seasons, but I feel the trip was fun and really helped with our team chemistry,” Moore said.