Spring is here, and once the afternoon hits, that means the crack of the bat is heard throughout campus.
The La Salle baseball team began their season on March 19 with a close loss to Clackamas High School.
The Falcons last hit the field in May of last year, where they nearly won, but got knocked out in the first round of playoffs by Crescent Valley High School, ending the season with a 11-6 league record and an overall record of 14-14.
The team is looking ahead to another packed season consisting of a total 27 games, with several challenging games against Lakeridge High School, Canby High School, and Wilsonville High School woven throughout the schedule.
The Falcons started their season off with a game fairly close to their Milwaukie home, playing Clackamas High School on March 21, but then continued their annual tradition of a team spring break trip. This year, they traveled to southern Oregon and competed against teams from all over the state in the unofficial Crater Tournament.
Overall, the Falcons had a very good week, with a record of 3-1 in the southern Oregon city of Medford. The Falcons came out victorious in their first three games against South Medford High School, Eagle Point High School, and North Eugene High School. The team finished their trip on Wednesday, with a 4-1 loss to Crater High School.
Senior Torsten Hersom has experienced a couple of these spring trips, and he expressed that he appreciates what they do for the team.
“It’s not only about baseball,” he said. “We’re going there to play baseball, but it’s also working on team chemistry even more.”
Hersom states that the team’s chemistry is one of its best qualities, especially when compared to years past. Hersom attributes this to their shared goals and togetherness.
“It’s just the connections with players,” he said. “I feel like this year, we’re just all together as one [and] we all have the same goal in mind and want to achieve that goal.”
After playing baseball for La Salle for four years, Hersom now finds himself a leader, as one of the few seniors on the team. Hersom recognizes the crucial role that seniors in the past have played on the team, and looks forward to continuing that tradition.
“All the seniors every year show how much the game matters to them,” he said. “I feel like I need to do the same, and put in time.”
Sophomore Evan Hamlin also recognizes that the team is fairly young with the large number of seniors who graduated following last season, but is confident in the seniors this year and the role they will play.
“I think the seniors this year will do a good job of leading the underclassmen and being a good role model for everybody,” he said.
Mentorship is something that Hamlin has witnessed first hand since coming to La Salle, with junior Declan O’Brien being someone who has had an impact on Hamlin’s baseball experience from the beginning.
“He’s helped mentor me and get me in the program,” he said.
Hamlin has high hopes and big goals for the season, stating that “we [have to] make the playoffs and win league, and then our next goal would be getting past the first round and making it all the way.”
