Bruin ball players are hitting the field as they hone their skills for the upcoming spring season.
The Fall Ball season has just began at Bear River High School. Each year, Bruin Baseball takes part in a separate fall season. Bruins play higher level teams and compete in tournaments in order to do better during the spring season.
Head Coach Eric Van Patten talked about how he just wants to get out there and play the game that he loves to coach with amazing players.
“This years fall baseball program once again provides players that necessarily compete to hone skills, increase confidence, and build Bruins sportsmanship,” said Coach Van Patten. “I’m pleased with a hard-working group of freshmen this year as well as excited about the formation of both JV and Varsity in the coming spring season.”
Justin Kilgore, a senior third baseman, has been playing baseball for the past 4 years and is thrilled to start the season again.
“For me, I never stop, I just finished my summer travel team 2 weeks before fall started and in that two week time period, I take off is so I can get my energy up again, “said Kilgore. “Whenever I start any season, I am excited because I love the game.”
Cole Winters, a sophomore pitcher, is returning for his second year playing during the fall season.
“It feels really great (starting of the season), I love it, it’s so nice getting out there again with my friends and playing baseball,” said Winters.
Anthony Vierra, a sophomore catcher, was excited to play baseball with all of his friends and meet all of the new freshman.
“The start of the season, it’s really nice,” he said. “Playing with upperclassmen is really fun, they teach a lot and it’s good to learn from them.”
The players all have different ways of getting prepared for upcoming games.
“I definitely have to get in a mental state of mind (before playing a game) as well was knowing to drink a lot of water so I don’t get dehydrated,” said Winters.
“I usually like to bat in the cage and do stretches,” Vierra said. “We have a huge pep talk before the game with the coach and it’s pretty enthusiastic.”
Kilgore is a big fan of the teams the fall ball team are playing against, which are mostly D1 and D2 schools.
“I think it’s good for us (to be playing harder and more advanced schools),” he said. “For example, the juniors and seniors are going to play Ponderosa today and Ponderosa is a really hard program that we will never play in spring because they have way more students than we do. It’s good to playing harder teams because when we play Lincoln and Placer, we will be used to playing at a harder level.”
Players gave themselves critiques and things that they need to work on to improve the season and improve the way they play.
“It’s hard to say (if we are good) because it really depends on how the pitchers do and if our bats come alive, because even if we go out and lose a gamebut everyone gets a chance to play, that’s the real important part,” said Kilgore. “It depends on how the game goes, it’s a game of failure. If a MLB players hits 3 out of 10 times, they still go into the Hall of Fame.”
“I’m not doing as well as I have been doing (previous seasons), but I’m going to be doing a lot better because I have been working a lot,” said Winters.
“Everyone’s been doing pretty decent, the varsity pitching is doing really well and are catching is a lot better,” said Vierra. “The infield needs a little bit of work but everything else has been pretty good.”
Coach Van Patten is really hoping Bruin baseball will excel during the season and that Bear River students come and see the Bruins play baseball.
“Once again, baseball will be on pace to compete for a winning season and provide enjoyable games to support,” said Coach Van Patten. “Please come on out for fall games this year, we have plenty of baseball ahead.”
