Carlton Airport Tournament

The Colts played three games during the Easter break as part of the Carlton Airport High School Tournament.

It was a great chance for the Varsity players available during the school break to spend some time together as a team and have some fun along with competing against some very good local teams they would not otherwise have a chance to play. Although the results were not what we had hoped for, the team was able to take away a number of positives from the experience.

First and foremost, it was a chance to get some valuable innings for the pitchers and gave the hitters some at bats against quality pitching as we get ready for the brunt of the League schedule. Although we were missing a few players to vacation or injury, the boys were able to work on their games and the coaches were able to give everyone available some at bats and fielding or pitching experience. The boys lost a heart breaker against the host team, Carlton Airport, in the last game of the event after leading for the entire game, but on balance the team played well.

In the other games, the boys made a valiant comeback against Allen Park after training 13-1 to close the gap to 13-8. A couple of unlucky line shots with men on base that didn't quite find an opening could have completed the comeback with just a little luck. These boys simply don't quit. Against Temperance/Bedford, it was more of the same with not quite enough pitching or fielding down the stretch after keeping the game close for 4 innings. It wasn't the result we had hoped for, but the coaches are very upbeat about this team's potential.

Just to put things in some perspective, after just 8 games this season the Colts have had almost as many dingers as all of last season (7 home runs after only 8 games versus 8 round trippers in 33 games last season) and 5 different Colts have hit them (Pardun, Aguirre, Frasier, Sautter and Zimcosky). We also have a team batting average about 30 points higher than the team did last year (currently about .290) and 5 regular players with averages well over .300 (Aguirre, Eichner, Sautter, Pardun and Robinson). The pitching and fielding is not where the boys or coaches expect it to be by district playoffs, but it will get there with focus and more hard work.

In addition to the baseball, the boys also had a chance to just kick back with one another Friday night at the hotel and bond as a group. It was a great night of pizza, slides shows (courtesy of Mr. Hamilton) of some of the boys' "not for prime time" moments and a combination of cards and video games. The parent chaperones seemed to have as much fun as the boys did. It has been fun to watch these young men develop as a group and show some positive chemistry as the young season unfolds. They simply have no quit in them and they pick each other up after a mistake in the field or at the plate. This bodes well for the team as their experience and more consistent quality of play catches up with their energy and enthusiasm.

Dondero High School (Royal Oak) is next this Friday with a double-header at home. The guys hope to get back on the winning track as we start league games again next week.

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