Spring is here and that means warm weather, fresh grass, blooming flowers, and sunny days for JV baseball.  After nine months of intense after school workouts, fall league games and batting practices, the JV baseball team is ready to start their season.
This year’s team will be made up of three sophomores and 11 freshman, making it a young team without a lot of experience.  Out of the team’s 13 players, only two are returning.  The two returning players, sophomore first baseman/pitcher Ethan Reff, and sophomore centerfielder/pitcher Ethan Kach, were elected captains of the team.  Reff, who batted sixth in the lineup last season racking up 15 total hits, eight RBI (runs batted in), and 10 runs, will remain the sixth guy in the lineup with the power hitting freshman class taking up the first five spots.  Kach, who started every game last season at left field, was moved to center field over the offseason and will remain in this year’s batting lineup after his 10 hit, seven runs, and five RBI freshman year performance.
In the boys’ first scrimmage against Rockville on Mar. 8, the team snuck past the Rams in a close 4-3 game. The squad was led by Reff, whose presence was felt on the mound after picking up a pair of strikeouts in the first inning and letting up no runs in the one inning he pitched.  Reff was all over the scoresheet in the win as he also led the team in runs with one run along with three freshman who also brought one home each, right fielder Graham Blondes, third baseman/pitcher Connor Walsh, and shortstop/pitcher Dev Zoks.  “It was a great way to start off my season and career for Wootton baseball,”  Zoks said.
The team also had a scrimmage on Mar. 9 at home versus the Paint Branch Panthers. The Patriots started off bumpy as the Panthers quickly went up 8-4 with Kach on the mound giving up four runs in the fourth inning. Undeterred by the deficit, Zoks gave the team some energy with his five strikeouts between the fifth and sixth innings as the Patriots went on a 5-0 run led by Walsh, who had the game-winning RBI triple to bring Blondes home and win the game. “Our great start has got to be thanks to Captain Ethan Reff who pushes us to our limits day in and day out to be the best we can possibly be,” Blondes said.

Danny Rothenberg

Staff Writer