The Baldwin baseball team defeated Connellsville 4-2 on Wednesday, guaranteeing them a spot in the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
Junior Trey Alario pitched six shutout innings, and the Highlanders scored two runs in the fourth inning to take the lead. They were also able to tack on two additional runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
In the last inning, Connelsville was able to put up two runs, but their rally fell short. Baldwin swept the two-game series, and the Highlanders also had swept the two series before that.
Baldwin players agreed that earning a playoff spot provides a good spark of momentum for the program.
“It feels great knowing that Baldwin baseball has turned the page and this is just the start of a very bright future,” senior Brady Caplan said.
Junior Gavin Sakely agreed.
“It feels amazing because it is something that has not happened in a long time here at Baldwin baseball,” Sakely said.
Many key factors led to earning the playoff spot.
“Some key things that got us to the playoffs are our hard work at practice and believing in each other,” Sakely said. “We’ve gotten so much better this year with new coaches and a new mentality as a team,” he said.
Caplan also noticed some improvements the team made for the season.
“A lot of hard practices, mastering the fundamentals, and cutting down mistakes is really what led us to be in the playoffs,” Caplan said.
Moving forward, Caplan and Sakley agreed that the Highlanders need to score runs earlier in the game to give their pitchers a cushion.
Their next game is away on Monday against Montour.
