MBA's Junior Varsity team is young. 9 freshman, 4 sophomores, and 1 junior. The freshman can really play, which has caused me to think all season long that when they in a couple of years, MBA is going to have an outstanding baseball team. I could be wrong but I suspect they will compete state championships in 2027 and 2028.
As I've discovered, the end of a season in high school sports is bittersweet. I recall feeling this way at the end of baseball season last year and at the end of cross country season this year. Just when you really start to get to know the parents, and the boys, the season suddenly ends. To an extent, that's probably what the entire 4-year experience of high school with each of our boys will be like for us.
After being rained out Friday evening, the boys played another archival, Father Ryan, yesterday afternoon at CPA. JP started and played center field, as Whitt pitched. If it were a hockey game, I would describe it as a chippy contest. Both dugouts chirped at each other throughout the game. Father Ryan's pitcher set the tone in the second inning when he caught a comebacker and rather than throw the ball to first base for an easy out, he raced the batter up the baseline and stepped on first base himself, turning back an sneering in the process.
An inning or so later, Whitt, pitching by far his best game of the season, did almost exactly the same thing. He added a twist, however, giving the baserunner the peace sign as he beat him to the bag on a ball hit right back to him. Unbeknownst to me, that's Tyreke Hill's (Dolphins' receiver) signature move when he streaks past a defender for a touchdown. That got Father Ryan's dugout going. After one of their players yelled "Billy Badass," MBA's dugout responded in kind. Archrivals.
A couple of innings later, Whitt "sworded" a Father Ryan batter after he struck him out to end the inning, so Coach Anderson pulled him. I love Whitt's competitiveness but he probably needs to channel it more effectively. He's a funny kid, though, and a real competitor. I enjoy watching him play baseball.
It was a real pitcher's duel to be sure, as the 1-1 score held up through all seven innings. JP was at the plate in the bottom of the seventh with two outs when Bennett was picked off first base for the second time in the game. JP walked in a good at bat early, then later grounded out. He made a nice play in the top of the seventh inning in center field, ranging far to his left to catch a fly ball. I thought it might carry but he judged it perfectly.
The game ended in a tie. MBA won a coin flip and got the overall #1 seed. The boys play CPA on Monday night. Here we go.
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