Last season, 14 senior baseball players had their seasons cut in half with a record of four wins, four losses, and one tie. This season’s four graduating seniors are outnumbered by juniors and sophomores. Senior Arthur Smith explained that the lack of senior players, “naturally pushed [the seniors] into leadership positions as the juniors missed out on varsity baseball last year.” 

The young team has secured nine wins and ten losses, and their most recent matchup was a blow out eleven to one win against Pinnacle. Head coach Damien Tippett credits the win to “putting everything together… we saw a lot of growth and it was just the most complete game the kids have played,” he said. “Everybody was on board and it was a really good game.”

Senior pitcher and first baseman Justin Still was selected player of the game, and was honored alongside the three other graduating players for senior night. Still pitched his “best game of the year” according to Tippett, adding to his 38 strikeouts this season. 

All four seniors are committed to play in college. Carter Richey’s batting average of .482 earned him a spot on South Mountain’s team next year, and Arthur Smith will be playing in Canada at McGill University. Both Broc Williams and Justin Still have committed to playing at the University of New Mexico. 

The program this year has sixteen juniors, making for a potentially senior heavy team next season. The team is ranked 14th and will move on with the top 16 to the playoffs.