The Baldwin baseball team is set to play against Peters Township in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs at 4:30 p.m. today at Boyce Mayview Park. The team has not made the playoffs in 11 years, and they are feeling optimistic.
“I think the boys are really excited,” junior Gavin Sakely said. “We’re happy we got Peters because we played them earlier in the season and we only lost 5-4. So we definitely know that we can beat them.”
The Highlanders made playoffs with a record of 9-7. Sakely said the team’s biggest strength has been defense.
The team’s biggest improvement has been learning to keep playing hard, even when things do not look good, he said. The team learned this lesson during their first game against Connellsville.
“It just felt like the umps were against us. We were down the whole game,” Sakely said. “We just weren’t playing that well. Then we came back and won that game. There was no other feeling like that.”
This game changed how the team played, especially after last season, Sakely said.
“We’ve just improved so much, especially in those Connellsville games,” Sakely said. “We’ve learned how to fight to the end.”
Coach Scott Wolf agreed, saying that “playing Connellsville and the team never quitting to win that game” was a memorable moment.
Sakely said developing that strong mental approach has been key.
“Our biggest thing has been getting a winning mentality and trying to change it from last year. It’s hard to come back and change everyone’s mentality to know that we can win,” Sakely said. “We have the ability to beat every team that we’ve played so far. We just have to do it.”
Senior Matt Nowicki pointed out just how much the team differs from last year.
“Making playoffs with a new coaching staff shows just how far we have come from last year. We have been competitive the whole season and hope that the impact of this season can carry over for the younger kids,” Nowicki said.
Looking at the first round playoffs, Nowicki feels that the team’s focus needs to be on hitting.
“I feel like big hits with runners in scoring position will help to get us into a position to win,” Nowicki said.
Junior Ethan Helbling agreed.
“We need to work on our discipline at the plate,” Helbing said. “We’re already pretty strong at baserunning and fielding.”
Helbling complemented the team’s energy as well.
“Everyone has played an important role in each game, and the fact that nobody has been selfish this season has let us win more games,” Helbling said.
Wolf said that regardless of the game’s outcome, he is proud of the team.
“Myself and the coaching staff are proud of every player – from eighth-graders to seniors – and of the brotherhood that is being built for Baldwin baseball,” Wolf said.
