Team Red infielder Noah Malone in the dugout during game 3 of the series. A dugout full of energy and motivation to take game 3
With the upcoming season right around the corner, LMU baseball began its training back in September. With the fall season coming to an end, it’s time for the team’s yearly Fall World Series to close out their training period. Players turned rivals for a week as the team splits in two — Team Red and Team Blue. Now, the boys go head-to-head in a fun three-game series to see who gets to take home the bragging rights.
“It’s a lot of fun because we spend the whole fall playing with each other. We’re on the same team, practicing together every day. We’re playing inner squads against each other, and they’re always fun. There is never really any stakes behind it. Towards the end of the fall, usually we close out with [the Fall World Series],” said Johnny Casale, sophomore two-way player for Team Blue.
Just like any regular in-season game, drafting teams and playing are no different for the series. The boys may not have been playing against another school, but that didn’t stop them from bringing the same banter and energy they would have in a regular game.
“When it’s just us, there’s definitely a lot of back and forth going on. The energy is great, it makes me excited for this upcoming season, because if we’re going to have that kind of energy in a fall game, I can’t even imagine how it’s going to be when we are playing real teams, in a real live game,” said Casale.
Zion Williams talks with teammate Eli Yamanaka as he comes off the field in game 3. Injured teammates gave their best strategies as they tried to coach their team to a win.
Preseason or in-season, that didn’t change the series’ energy. Both teams gave it their all, with Team Red taking the series 2-1. Cooper Whitton, junior centerfielder for the winning team, shared what the energy was like throughout the series.
“So we won the first game, and then second game, we lost. It was like a rubber match game three. The energy was high, our leader for our team was Cole Stucky, junior and one of the pitchers. He got us motivated before the game. Our shortstop, who was hurt this year, was part of our coaching staff on our team … He had a lot of good insight, motivated us before the game and got it done,” said Whitton.
For newcomer freshman Jordan Ortiz, catcher for Team Blue, it was a great opportunity to compete against some of his closest friends and get to know his other teammates .
“That being our first real, actual team event and game, we’ve had our inner squads and things of that nature … just helped us get a lot closer. Although we didn’t win, I think we kind of built much better relationships just playing with each other, which I think was really cool,” said Ortiz.
On and off the field, the respect teammates have for one another is unlike anything else, from naming teammates they can’t wait to see succeed this season, like pitchers Zach Bender and Stucky, outfielders Noah Malone, Zion Williams and Zach Wadas, to infielders like DJ Ghiorso. Ortiz shared what it has been like being on this team, sharing the field with these boys and more.
“Something that’s different about this team than any other team I’ve been around, it’s not as much of a hierarchy as teams usually are. It’s usually kind of like top-down based on age, but it’s kinda just about who plays well, who works hard, things of that nature,” said Ortiz.
The talent on this team doesn’t go unrecognized. Being rivals for a week and playing against each other made the boys realize just how much talent there is across the entire team, making them excited for the upcoming season.
“As a team, I think we understand how talented we are, and I think we understand how much hard work it takes to be good. We just have to come together and understand things are not always going to go our way. So I think just how we respond to failure and adversity will be a really important factor to how our season goes,” said Ortiz.
Team Red player hustles down the line during the rubber match final, game 3. Team Red took the 2-1 win over Team Blue.
Coming off the Fall World Series, there is a lot to look forward to, and expectations are high for the team. From personal goals like Casale’s, hoping to stay healthy and contributing to the team in hitting and pitching, to the main goal and expectation shared across the whole team: winning.
“I think our expectations, first and foremost, [is to] win our conference. Got to win that to move on. West Coast Conference Champions is the expectation and the feeling we have around the locker room. It shares with our coaches, we have the same expectations,” said Whitton.
To follow along with your LMU Lions as they prepare for their upcoming season, check out their schedule to see their talent live in action.