The Oswego Panther Varsity Baseball (OPVB) team is well into the season and has gotten off to a good start with a 13-9-1 record. Team morale is high and coaches still have full confidence in the team they have.
“I think we’re doing well, but there’s definitely more we can do to make this team great,” said senior pitcher Noah Mottet.
With a 13-9-1 record, they hope to turn this around in the upcoming games by focusing more on making better contact and perfecting their pitches.
They began their season in Edwardsville on March 14-15, where they played against the Collinsville Kahoks, St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans, and Columbia Eagles. They were only able to come away with one win against St. Joseph-Ogden during the team’s time in Edwardsville.
Since the Edwardsville match-up in March, the Panthers have been playing well and have been meeting teams that match their speed.
Since last year, a few notable players have made a come-up and have begun to shine for the team. “A few players that have had a great impact would be Sophomore Cam Jenkins, and that Donnie Williams guy,” said senior pinch runner Kenny White.
Last season, the varsity team was very evenly split between seniors and juniors. This year, the starting squad is dominated by the junior class. The juniors have been shining more with their skilled and talented players on the team since the start of the season, not to downplay the starting seniors, who are also making significant contributions to the team.
As for OH sophomore Cam Jenkins, he is certainly proving why he belongs on the varsity squad and is making a name for himself among his teammates. For the rest of the season, the team hopes to better themselves by the time playoffs come around.
“We are currently 13-9 and have started conference play. We are currently 4-4 in the conference and looking to be playing our best baseball for the playoffs,” said Coach Joseph Giarrante.
The team wants to be in the best shape for playoffs, but the players couldn’t be more excited for cross-town.
“Say what you want about these guys right now, but when it comes to Crosstown, know that we’re [going to] be ready,” said Mottet.
The Panthers have high hopes for the rest of the season and hope to get out of the 4-4 conference record they are currently in. Based on their stats, the team gets better after every game and learns from mistakes made along the way.
I am a senior at Oswego High School. I am very active in the community. I enjoy sports and hope to one day become a sports writer. I am also an Oswego football player.
I am a senior at Oswego High School. This is my first year on the 42Fifty staff. I am passionate about writing, fitness, music, and sports
