The green fields of spring start to emerge from under piles of snow. The dust begins to rise after being kicked up by brand new cleats. The ding of the bat belting the ball can be heard across the stadium. When the scents of crisp grass, combed dirt, and fresh air make the outdoors come alive, everyone knows it is time for baseball season.

Last season, the Tigers baseball team had a 12-9 record behind powerhouse senior Aljo Sujak (’17). This year the team is led by captains Douglas Tsang (’18) and Patrick DeSalvo (’19). The team also showcases great returning players in Bobby Kraft (’18) and Wilson Richardson (’18). They are hoping to keep rolling and progress even further than last season. “We hope to continue our success from last year and make runs at the state and county tournaments,” said Tsang.

The Tigers start their season on Monday, April 2nd against Teaneck. They are off to a hot start in their scrimmages with a 4-1 record so far and they have a lot of confidence going into the season. The team boasts 17 players, most of them returning and ready to start the season after their recent trip.

While most teams head out to Orlando as part of a victory tour after winning the championship, the Tigers decided to switch it up. They embarked on their own five-day trip to Florida on Friday, March 23rd as part of their spring training. This trip was designed to get the Tigers excited for practice, to give them a chance to play some baseball in warm weather for once, and to get an opportunity to play against some very good competition. “We’ve played multiple hours each day with practices and scrimmages,” said Tsang. “It’s definitely nice to be able to play outside while it would be impossible at home.”

However, this was not strictly a business trip. The team also got a chance to enjoy their stay in Florida by going to Disney World and relaxing when they weren’t playing ball. The days in Florida consisted of heavy practices, competitive games, and a lot of fun in between.

Following this excellent trip, the Tigers will still have a long road ahead of them. Their first two matchups are home and away against Teaneck. “We hope to start the season strong by winning both of those”, said Tsang. “We are a very exciting team this year and everyone should pull through to our games,” said Kraft. This is only the beginning for the Tigers, and they hope to bring the lessons they’ve learned from the Florida trip and previous seasons to guide them to even more victories on the diamond this year.