MISHAWAKA, Ind. (WNDU) – Two weeks ago, Penn baseball decided to shake things up and went all in with a bold new look.
“We kind of talked about. Some of the guys talked about shaving their heads, some of the guys talked about just bleaching. We finally just came to a point where let’s bleach and buzz,” says Penn senior pitcher Dawson French. “Half the team bleached and buzzed, some of the guys just bleached. I think it’s just a chemistry thing. I think we needed it. It’s going to be nice.”
This new look appears to be working for the team. On Monday, the Kingsmen secured a sectional championship with their victory over LaPorte, marking the 25th sectional title in baseball for the program.
“Last year, it was a bummer,” says Penn senior center fielder River Pecina. “We lost the first game, and we know what that feels like and we don’t want that feeling again, so we just came out and trusted each other and had some fun and do what we do.”
But the job isn’t done yet. The Kingsmen will now take on Goshen in the regional round this Saturday.
“We took an off day yesterday. I think it was kind of nice. We needed a little rest day we have been working hard every single day. But today we are getting back in the basics,” French says. “We are coming together. We are base running right now and the basics of baseball. It helps us win games.”
With 10 seniors leading the way, the team remains determined to carry their success forward.
Penn and Goshen will meet in regionals on Saturday at NorthWood. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. EDT.
The winner advances to a four-team semi-state next Saturday, June 14.
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