Coming back after a tough loss is always hard, but it is even harder knowing that it is the last game you will play with that years’ seniors.

Last year GRC baseball had to say goodbye to seven seniors, but this year five new seniors will be stepping up to the plate hoping to fulfill the expectations left for them.

“Our starting lineup consisted of several seniors last year, so filling in positions previously obtained by such experienced players is not the easiest task,” says sophomore Will Henry.

However, the team has used the off season as time to better themselves for the upcoming season. “We don’t really rebuild, we just reload,” says junior Tyler Walton.

From batting practice and inner team scrimmages to strength and conditioning, the team hopes to prove that hard work pays off.

“We have many leaders on this team,” says Walton “The leaders help the younger players and even each other if someone is struggling.”

The Cards look for this leadership to help them with their transition into the new season. “The younger players really look up to what the upperclassmen do, so we have a big role in team morale,” says junior Jake Ware.

One of the strengths of having a team full of leaders is they don’t just build a team, they help others become leaders by demonstrating this skill in their everyday actions.

As an underclassmen, Henry attests for this saying, “Older teammates show kids how to act and what they should be doing, they teach things that we can continue to pass down when we eventually fill their spots.”

This Cardinal team chemistry has a lot to do with the team history. Many of them have played on the same teams in Little League, All Star, and Middle School which has a huge impact on the way the team performs on the field.

“We all get along and everyone plays with the best interest of the team in mind rather than thinking about their individual stats,” says Ware.

Walton also believes this will be a key to this years success saying, “We know each other and we can play to our strengths. ”

The team hopes that their skill and camaraderie will help them win their third consecutive district championship to put them back in the region tournament where they have fallen in the semifinals for the past two years.

Regardless of the success of their season Ware says he looks forward to taking the field with this team.

Walton agrees adding, “My favorite part of this year is going to be playing with the seniors for one more season. We have a really special group of guys.”