Baseball (7-5-1) won its second game against University High with a score of 3-2 on March 13 at the home field in its series of three. The Bulldogs won the third game 9-1 on March 15, winning the series against the Trojans. The team will end their third three-series game of the season against Laguna Hills High on March 22 at home.
The Bulldogs scored their first run during the bottom of the first inning from outfielder and senior Rider Cooper. Shortstop and sophomore Keyan Park, outfielder shortstop and senior Michael Shen and catcher, pitcher, first base and senior Rocky Palacio struck out directly after Cooper’s run.
“As a senior, I’m just trying to put as much work in and as much effort as I can, knowing that this could be the last time I play baseball,” Palacio said. “[I’m] putting as much effort into every game as I can because this is the last time I’m playing each team as well; I want to end off on a good note.”
The Trojans scored two runs in the fifth inning, which built up tension for the Bulldogs, according to Park. The Bulldogs were able to tie the game at 2-2 during the sixth inning with a home run scored by Palacio.
Head baseball coach Bryan Resnick noted that the Bulldogs’ early games have been similar, with pitching and defense battles back and forth between the teams. With many players filling multiple positions, every varsity member is important, according to Resnick. For example, Park, who is second in the batting order, is new to the varsity team for this season and will help lead the team once the upperclassmen graduate.
“I can learn how to be a leader and how to be a good teammate from the upperclassmen,” Park said. “They’re all very kind to us, and they have really good leadership skills. Michael Shen and Rocky Palacio are really good leaders and help keep the team in place.”
This season, the team had to adjust to the new players and dynamic, according to Resnick. The scoring were especially close, creating more of a challenge for the Bulldogs to stay determined and push through, according to Resinck.
“My hopes, from an effort standpoint, I hope our guys battle,” Resnick said. “I try not to let them think about results too much; I just want them to battle and compete. As I said, this game is one of those games, win or lose, I think we battled. I think we competed and that’s all I want to see them do.”
