A recent 8-1 blowout win versus Arroyo Valley pushed the varsity boys baseball team to an 8-2 record on the season. The Panthers also stand undefeated in the Prep League, with a perfect 4-0 record. Loaded with seven veteran seniors, the team is poised for a successful season.
At the forefront of the Panther’s offense is senior catcher and shortstop Henry McDonald, who leads the team in every batting category with remarkable stats. On the year, he maintains an excellent 0.609 batting average, three home runs (HR), 14 runs batted in (RBI) and five steals.
“He’s an incredible hitter and always knows what he’s doing before he goes to the plate,” said sophomore Alejandro Kohn Rabassa.
Backing McDonald’s offensive dominance are rising stars like sophomore pitcher Connor Poon and freshman outfielder Caiden Kennedy, who have been key contributors on both sides of the ball.
“Connor Poon is off to a great start and has been key to our wins so far,” said McDonald. “He’s been getting it done on both sides of the ball, throwing a complete game this week and batting around .500 on the season. Caiden has been doing great for us this year both offensively, where he bats lead off, and defensively both at second base and the outfield.”
On the pitching front, Poon and senior Elliott Rowley have been instrumental in stifling opposing offenses. Rowley boasts a 2.72 ERA with a Prep League-leading 19 strikeouts and Poon follows with five strikeouts. “Our pitchers have been phenomenal, with Elliott and Connor throwing the majority of the innings and other guys like Alejandro, Chase and Ollie stepping up in some key moments as well,” said McDonald.
The Panthers combination of elite pitching and dominant hitting proved crucial in their 7-5 win versus rivals Flintridge Prep. Leading up the seventh inning, both teams were tied 4-4. Despite the high pressure situation, Poon held it down, holding Prep to only one run. The Panthers offense took care of the rest, scoring three runs to win the game. Rowley, who had nine strikeouts in the game, said, “Our energy was really really good and loud from the start to the end, and we had a grit fighting for every run.”
Momentum plays a huge role in team sports, especially baseball. It can mean the difference between making a critical throw to get an out, or missing and costing the team a run. Head coach Wayne Lovett is keen on building the team to be high energy and confident with every play.
“We’re working on playing ourselves every time we go out,” said Lovett. “We’re working on becoming a family and playing for each other.”
Sophomore catcher Alex Chui agreed, saying, “The camaraderie helps make the games more enjoyable because we’re playing with friends.”
With a squad loaded with veteran and rising talent, the Panthers look to carry the same level of success for the remainder of the season.
“This year’s team has an excellent opportunity to do some special things,” said Lovett.
