JV Baseball team hits slump at end of season

Sophomore+catcher+Lucas+Sosa+gets+into+a+collision+at+the+plate+against+Quince+Orchard+on+Apr.+23.

Photo courtesy JV baseball Instagram account

Sophomore catcher Lucas Sosa gets into a collision at the plate against Quince Orchard on Apr. 23.

The JV baseball team started their season off hot with a 3-0 start, but then hit a slump and ended off the season with a 5-7 record. 

To finish off their season, the team played BCC and Walter Johnson. The team knew their last two games would be a big challenge, facing two great baseball programs. The team lost to Whitman in a blowout loss 14-1 and then lost to Walter Johnson on a late hit losing 8-7.

Despite the team’s disappointing ending to the season, there is a lot of promise on the JV roster.

The team has been led by slugger sophomore Malachi Reid, who has been tearing it up at the plate and in the field. Reid got pulled up to play for varsity against BCC due to a shortage in third basemen and he recorded a walk along with a diving stop at third base. Reid will be a key part of the baseball program for the rest of his time at the school. “It felt great to play with the varsity team; it was a different feeling playing with them and I liked it. The game felt a lot more intense and you can tell how passionate the team is,” Reid said. 

The team has other key players like freshman middle infielder AJ Shiflett, sophomore pitcher Luke Brunner, and sophomore middle infielder Ryan Yang. Freshman third baseman Jack Kerns was cherishing every moment of the season even though he suffered a broken collar bone. “I love spending time with all my teammates; they make baseball even more fun than it already is. I’m excited for what the future holds for us,” Kerns said.

After the season ended, Reid, sophomore shortstop Arjun Ram, sophomore pitcher Noah Parker, and sophomore outfielder Justin Karis all got called up to varsity to finish off their season with them. In a game against Gaithersburg; on May 4, Karis and Ram both got in the field and made some nice plays. 

Ram fielded a hard-hit ground ball at short to record an out and then the next inning Karis caught a fly ball on the run in left field.

The JV callups got to bond with their new teammates at a team dinner that followed the Gaithersburg game and the varsity players are happy to have them aboard.