April 11, 2024 | SPORTS | By Nick Bennett
Disclaimer: The writer of this piece is a player on the CC club baseball team. The original printing of this piece failed to disclose the author’s affiliation with the team.
The Colorado College Club Baseball team is on a path to clinching their first-ever National Club Baseball Association (NCBA) regionals bid. This monumental step is nothing short of a battle for the team, recognizing that every series, game and play needs complete focus.
After a triumphant sweep against the top team in the division, Colorado State University (CSU) Pueblo, the Tigers went into this weekend against Western with a competitive attitude.
However, the weather had different plans. After a forecast of extreme wind, varsity sports such as track and field postponed their games and meets due to the danger of playing under such conditions.
For the Tigers and their goal of making it to regionals, it seemed like the odds were stacked against them.
The Saturday series was destined to be a battle like no other. The wind kicked up dust in the eyes of both teams, making it nearly impossible to keep them open at times.
“I wasn’t really thinking about anything else, I was just focused on trying to see,” left fielder Matt Gensburg ‘25 said. “Between the shivering, the wind and the dust, it wasn’t really possible for me to really process anything.”
Luckily, as echoed by the team, the Tigers had fantastic pitching and defense to pick each other up. Galileo Defendi-Cho ‘24, Sammy Heller ‘24, Antonio Sanchez ‘24 and Sam Carr ‘26 held their weight on the mound as they stopped Western’s strong offense in its tracks.
On the plays where Western was able to make contact, months of training for the Tigers paired with their unrivaled competitiveness allowed them to push through the pain of dust in their eyes and make game-changing plays.
As the innings ended and their time at the plate began, it would have been easy for them to retreat into the warmth and shelter of the dugout and lose focus on their offensive battle. This was not the case for the Tigers. Despite being blasted in the field and forced to battle mentally and physically, their offensive game did not falter. Competitive energy kept their heads held high and their eyes focused on the prize: regionals.
The entire team did their job and secured near-blowout-level runs in both games. Mental and physical fatigue had no place in their minds.
“It’s easy to play in warm, sunny conditions when everyone’s having a blast, but when there’s reason for struggle, everyone needs everyone else to make sure that the team keeps a positive mentality and maintains confidence,” said Gensburg.
Offensive praise spread across the lineup as each player got their job done. With outstanding hits and RBIs by all of the team and a cumulative two home runs in the series by Sammy Heller ‘24 and Nick Bennett ‘24. The Tigers’ confidence was far from lost.
The exhausting conditions did not stop the Tigers’ ability to push past their limits, even in the final game when bodies were drained.
“It was definitely one of the tougher games I’ve played in,” said captain Sam Carr ‘26. “Super impressed how we battled throughout the game against a great team. Excited to look forward towards Denver and Mines as we look to clinch a regional tournament bid.”
CC Tigers Baseball is trailblazing their way to greatness. No weather or team will easily break their stride.
For the several underclassmen on the team, the chance to make regionals has reignited their passion for baseball and fostered a deep love for the community created by the CC team. For the seniors, this chance to make regionals is a dream come true and a way to make a lasting imprint in Tiger baseball history.
The team will lose a hefty number of seniors come next fall, but securing Tiger baseball’s reputation as a competitive team will surely make a lasting impression for incoming freshmen and current students alike.