Baseball Looking To Go All The Way

Now with sports back up and starting again thanks to the Kern High School District vote allowing baseball and many others to play this season student athletes will get to see some action. Those participating this season were asked if they were glad to finally be allowed back on the field and here’s what they had to say: 

“Yes, extremely because although I’ve been playing baseball with other club teams it’s not the same as the high school baseball environment and you get to be back on a team with all of your teammates”, said Catcher, Drew Short. 

Ethan Trejo who plays Centerfield, Left Field, and Second Base says, “So glad this is something that I have been waiting for all year. We have worked hard all off season and we are ready to start playing.” 

As for how the team thinks the season will go, this is what Coach Robert Shahan responded with, “Struggles at first, but the excellent competition will make us better very fast… We will likely play well in the playoffs against lower competition.” To add on, “Pitching. It has been our strength for a few years. We have the best pitcher in Bakersfield and he’s only an 11th grader, we have an excellent 12th grade pitcher, and we have two 10th graders who are also very effective.” 

“I think that we will be just fine, we just need to get back in the baseball mindset again and we’ll be okay.  I think our strength will be our chemistry like it always is because not only are we teammates on the field we’re friends off the field.” says Short. 

Trejo claims, “I believe our team will play amazing. We are a very united team and we have a great bond. We are all hard working and do whatever we have to do to win. Also, our teams pitching is really strong as well with fielding”

Since they’ve all been preparing so hard during the off season, they revealed what  they’ve been looking forward to this season.  Shahan said, “Playing the top competition in Bakersfield. We are playing the traditional powerhouses, Stockdale, Liberty, Centennial, Frontier, and BHS.”

“I am looking forward to the constant grind again. I am excited to play some great competition and show my talent”, said Trejo.

Short says, “Winning the first Valley championship for Ridgeview baseball.”

Speaking of what the team is looking forward to, their main goal as a team is to win League, Valley Championship and possibly more. Shahan also wanted to add, “To grow together, and to use every experience as a learning opportunity.” Although the boys were also asked what goal they had for themselves. 

Short stated, “I hope to commit to a college.”

Trejo said, “One goal I have this year is to help my team to win and I want to get even stronger than what I already am.”

On the contrary the real question is if there are going to be any challenges the team has to face this season? Shahan has this to say, “Hitting against top level pitching. We are playing the best teams in Bakersfield, and a lot of our guys don’t have experience facing them. There will be growing pains.”

“I think meeting new competition. We are in D1 now, so the competition is the best of the best”, said Trejo.

Short says, “I believe the hardest challenge will be the competition this year because we are facing school with very good baseball teams.”

This leads to yet another question, which school are they looking forward to playing? All Short had to say was Bakersfield Christian High School while Trejo answered with Liberty High School. As for Shahan he said Stockdale and Liberty High School because he believes they’ll be the toughest as for why? He states,“Stockdale and Liberty both have multiple Division 1 commits in their lineups. These teams are solid at every position defensively and in the lineup.

To end it off, Shahan wanted to add something for the team. “I am immensely proud of my guys for all the work they have put in through these difficult times. They never stopped working on their skills and that is what we have come to expect from our program. This year we get the opportunity to play with the top teams in Bakersfield and show that we belong.”