The Blake Baseball program is growing and is poised for yet another season as a state contender. Last year the team made it to the section final and this year Michael Fraley ‘20 says “I expect that we should get to the same point, and maybe even get to state.” Captain Matt Olive ‘20 expects success this year, as he says the team has a “fantastic group of seniors and plenty skilled underclassmen.”

The motivated team operates unlike a lot of sports at Blake. Olive says that “Baseball … teaches failure because seven times out of ten, you’re going to get out.” This unique characteristic of the sport has brought the team together. Olive adds “Blake Baseball as a while is a big family, we have grill outs every weekend and spend countless hours together, it’s a different experience than any other spring sport at Blake.”

The unique aspects of baseball as a difficult sport haven’t only helped the team operate better, but have taught players leadership skills that have value beyond the field. When asked about team leadership, Olive says that “everyone is a leader in their own way. Everyone in the program knows their role and plays to that extent and that’s what makes us a strong team.”

Coaching has been a major factor in Blake Baseball’s success. Captain Jackson Lee ‘18 remarks that “the team was really brought together last year by Coach [Jon] Nuss. We had lots of unconventional practices that helped us teambuild.”

The team has high expectations as they grow as a program and as a family. Olive remarked that “I know this will be one of our best years. This will only build in years to come as we hope to make Blake Baseball a top contender for state every year.”