Baseball team looks to bounce back after tough season

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Ashley Ortizcazarin

The baseball team practiced in the Haben Center for tryouts and for the first part of the season due to cold weather outside.

After a 5-16 record last season, the Red Knights baseball team will be looking to improve. While the roster has stayed pretty similar to last season, the team has had some key losses. “The roster hasn’t changed that much as we only graduated four seniors and most of the starters are returning.  However, we have had some big losses on our pitching staff,” senior Riley Simonetti said.

While the roster hasn’t changed that much, the coaching staff has.  The team has a full new coaching staff except for one retuning assistant, with Tony Cicalello being in his first year as head coach and Joe Body and Jon Nuss being assistants.  “I am really excited about the new coaching staff.  The season should be a lot of fun,” sophomore Dustin Dallman said.

To help prepare for the upcoming season, the Red Knights went on a trip to Florida over spring break.  “We went to Fort Myers near the Minnesota Twins spring training facility and one of their Single A coaches, Jake Mauer, [helped us] schedule scrimmages and practices while we are there,” Simonetti explained.

With a new Section this year, the team will have high hopes to improve on last year’s record. Even with the big losses to the pitching staff, Simonetti believes the team will do great.  “We might struggle on the mound this year but I think our defense will keep us in games.  We have some good bats and speed in the lineup that should produce runs,” Simonetti said.

Dallman believes the team could be very successful as well. “We are hoping to compete at a high-level against the bigger public schools this year, and I think we will have great results,” Dallman said.

The season should prove to be an exciting one, and the first game is set to be against Hopkins on Thursday, April 7.