While Boston is still covered in snow and ice, spring sports are slowly starting to defrost. Suffolk University baseball is among those beginning to warm up, starting to implement practices ahead of their home opener at the end of the month.
The team began their indoor practices in mid-January, gearing up for a long season ahead. Aside from the fall season, which ran for six weeks from September into October, the team has been slowly inching back to playing time, staying indoors until the weather shapes up. Head Coach Anthony Del Prete spoke on what the players have been up to in the offseason.
“We rent a couple indoor spaces north of the city, one in Danvers and one in Stoneham, and then we’ve been using the gym on campus here as well,” said Del Prete.
Unfortunately, New England’s current weather has not been kind to teams looking to begin outdoor activities. With the frigid temperatures, the team has been forced to stay inside, using the indoor facilities in the Ridgeway Building. Although this may not be their ideal February, Del Prete says the team is doing their best given the circumstances.
“Everybody’s in the same boat the way I look at it, so I mean, you just got to maximize your time, maximize your space,” said Del Prete.
The first time the team may see the field is their first home game at the end of the month, a doubleheader Feb. 28. Two weeks later, they head down to central Florida during spring break, where they’ll play seven games in a week-long tournament.
Del Prete set a goal for the tournament, wanting the team to win at least five games out of the seven. Graduate student Cole Hilliard says this week is essential to the team, not just for practicing purposes, but for team bonding as well.
“As players, we love that he set that goal for us. It’s a great trip not only for baseball but team purposes as well. We’re looking for probably 5 plus wins as a group, that’s a successful spring break trip for us before we come back and have a full league schedule in Boston,” said Hilliard.
This season is Hilliard’s fifth year of eligibility with the team because he was hurt his sophomore year, and is now getting his master’s degree at Suffolk. Although the regular season has not officially started yet, Hillard spoke to the energy and effort that both the coaching staff and other players have displayed already.
“Our coaches put us in the best position to succeed not only as players, but people, just being able to withstand the conditions a little bit and be kind of tough,” said Hilliard. “That credits to our coach and the culture that he’s kind of brought in here, and the kids that we have.”
Something interesting about this team is that they don’t have official captains, but they don’t seem to need them either. Stephen Nardelli, a junior catcher, discussed the team’s dynamics and how every position group has an older mentor to look up to.
“It’s almost good that we don’t have captains, there’s no feeling of seniority, everyone feels equal on the team,” said Nardelli. “It’s almost like competing with each other in a good way, where we’re all willing to learn from each other.”
In terms of getting ready to be back on the field, all the players, from freshmen to graduate students, have bought into the program, and according to Nardelli, “everyone’s treating practice like a game.” The team still has a couple of weeks to go until the first official pitch, but everyone has been working hard already.
“All the guys have been working very hard and we don’t need to be pushed, everyone’s willing to work and we’re pushing each other in practice every day,” said Nardelli.
Catch the team’s home opener, a doubleheader against Lasell University, on Saturday, Feb. 28.
