The Arcadia High School (AHS) Boys JV Baseball team played an exhilarating game against the Glendale High School on Apr. 12, ending with a final score of 9-0. This victory continued the current successful run of the Apaches in this Pacific League season, as they’ve remained undefeated so far with a score of 7-0.
“This victory keeps our record in the Pacific League as undefeated for the year. So that puts us in a really good position to win the championship. We got a real good pitching performance from [sophomore] Caleb Catalan, who pitched the entire game and put us in a really good position to win the Pacific League,” said Head Coach Nicholas Lemas.
Catalan’s star performance during the game was also noted by his fellow team members.
“Caleb really got us through the game by pitching. He had a couple big hits and scored in runs. He just really stayed with us in the game by pitching such a great game,” said sophomore Shaun Gardner, who plays shortstop and left field.
Catalan, who plays pitcher and outfield, shares why he believes the team has been so successful in these games.
“We just came out the gates with a lot of energy,” said Catalan. “We had a lot of guys come through in important moments, which really pumped the team up. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to pitch on the mound that day. For me that gives me a lot of excitement and I try to do my best to give it my all.”
The string of victories achieved by the Apaches is made much more impressive when considering how far the team has come this year.
“Before the season started, a lot of people weren’t very comfortable with each other and with the team. But as the season continued, a lot of these players grew closer in their relationships as brothers and as a team. Having these bonds is a really big part of having a good, strong team and winning games,” said Catalan.
Other members of the JV team agree with Catalan’s observation about how the team grew as they forged stronger bonds.
“It takes time for everyone to get along with each other and it takes time for us to get used to each other. As the season went on, we adapted to each other, and everyone’s getting along and everything’s going great. We’re using communication and teamwork, which will really lead us closer to future victories,” said Gardner.
Another factor in the team’s continuous success was their prior experience in playing baseball and their shared commitment to victory.
“Most players on our team have played for a really long time. I would say 10+ years since they started pretty young. Every game that goes by, every practice we have, we as a team get a lot closer. We share a bunch of memories together and we all have the same goal in mind at the end of the day,” said junior Cameron Der, who plays outfield.
While the Pacific League is not yet over, the players are optimistic about their chances in future games.
“Even though our team had ups and downs, we are still one of the top teams in the Pacific League. I think in some of our games we lacked a lot of energy and confidence, which affected how we played. When we went against some solid teams that had good energy, our team really reflected off their energy. So if we just start with high energy and keep our confidence, we’re gonna really succeed in the next couple of games,” said Der.
The match against Glendale is a reflection of the Apaches’ enduring success this season. Hopefully, the Apaches are able to maintain their success and come away with the Pacific League title.
Photo by Richard Dai
