The baseball season is in full swing, and the Suffolk men’s team is heading into the most important stretch of the season, one in which every game is vital to whether or not a postseason berth is in the cards.
For senior Andrew Babb, getting to the postseason is a necessity. The Ashland, MA, native is taking every game seriously and is looking to lead his team into a postseason run that could have people talking about Suffolk University baseball.
Boasting a 15-13 overall record (7-3 in conference play) the Rams have only 10 games left before the end of the season. In the next 10 games they play, seven of them are against conference opponents, making this the most important stretch of the year.
Babb has taken his job seriously since he first stepped foot on a baseball diamond at Suffolk.
“I think my role this year is to be an everyday player. Whether it be in the outfield or on the mound, but also to compete for every pitch and battle for every out,” said the business marketing major.
“We have a young team, I take pride in showing them what college baseball is about and all the hard work you need to put in to be successful. It’s a team sport.”
To freshman outfielder Danny Gunn, Babb has all the right tools to be a great leader.
“He has led by example since fall ball [having been] one of the best hitters on the team,” said Gunn. “He never gets down on anybody and always picks up his teammates.”
Picking up his teammates is not all Babb does for this squad. On April 12, Suffolk matched up against Salem State, and ended up winning an impressive match, 3-1. Babb was the starting pitcher that game, going the distance for the first time this year and picking up his second win of the season.
Babb had seven strikeouts and did not surrender a walk. He also got it done at the plate by going 2-4, stealing a base, and scoring a run.
In the most recent double header against Rivier College, the Rams stole the show in both contests, outscoring Rivier by a 21-7 margin. Babb was the winning pitcher in game two, and had a hit and RBI in each game.
“Expectations this year are just the same as every year, to make it to the post season,” said Babb. “Expectations are still in play because we know we have the talent and depth to make it there but we have to play our best baseball down the stretch here.”
Babb wholeheartedly believes in what it takes to be a team and the work involved to create chemistry that reflects on and off the field. Setting goals is a big part of any sport and Babb says bringing that fire to his team is one of the variables needed for a deep postseason run.
“Baseball is such a team sport, and to be honest, I can’t remember being [on] a team as close as we are this year,” he said. “My goal for the season would be to help the other seniors and captains get to the regional’s and make a run at winning that, giving our seniors something great to go out on and also letting the younger guys know how great it is to be there and to keep working hard, because there is no feeling like being of the last teams playing.”
Getting to regional’s isn’t an easy task, but Babb believes that Head Coach Cary McConnell and the rest of his coaching staff has done an excellent job in preparing these young men for what a grueling season is like.
“You know the coaching staff does a great job with us in the offseason,” said Babb. “We have a great fall ball schedule and lifting program. They give us the opportunity to grow as players and get bigger, faster, and stronger. A lot of the work is done when they aren’t looking, but at the same time is shows they have the confidence in us that we will get the work done to be successful.”
Babb believes in his team and that they can make a run in the postseason, but for now, it’s time to dig in the batter’s box down the stretch to gain entry into the playoffs.
With every inning he plays, with every pitch he throws, and every hack he takes at the plate, Andrew Babb knows that when it’s all said and done, he worked hard and gave it is all not for himself, but for his team.
