BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa varsity baseball team has battled through adversity this season, and the Scotties are looking to put it all together as they hit the home stretch of the regular season.
Head coach Curtis Nobles, in his 10th season as the Scotties’ head coach, said he feels the team experiencing ups and downs in the early portion of the season will benefit them down the line.
“Baseball’s not always meant to be perfect,” said Nobles. “The fact that we’ve experienced ups and downs, I feel more equipped to be going in toward the second half of the season, trying to fight for a way for playoffs, versus kind of on cruise control.”
He also noted that the Scotties have played in several tight games already, including a one-run victory over La Salle Institute and one-run losses to Shenendehowa and Christian Brothers Academy.
“So we’re right there,” Nobles said. “Sometimes you don’t see the fruits of your labor until you have success.”
Senior first baseman/outfielder Matt Arnold echoed this, saying adversity can prepare the team moving forward.
“We faced some good teams, so we did face some adversity,” said Arnold. “Those were all really good games, really close games, and I do feel like that’s helped shape us to kind of where we’re at right now.”
The Scotties have been led offensively by Arnold, junior Blaine Zoller, and sophomores James Haughton and Mike Pritchard, among others. Nobles also highlighted two of the team’s pitchers, senior Nick Rychcik and freshman Jameson Hotaling.
“(Rychcik) was a reliever last year, he stepped into the role of a starting position,” said Nobles. “He’s been giving us quality innings. Jameson Hotaling, who’s a freshman, has been totally nothing but growth and maturation. He’s a guy to watch coming up, for sure.”
As the Scotties move through the second half of their schedule, Nobles said they will look to “win each day.”
“We’re trying to be humble and hungry. We want to take it one day at a time,” Nobles said. “Trying to get guys to be more present, be in the moment. Don’t practice to play, practice to be successful. We’ve got to win today first.”
“Our mindset right now is to take it one game at a time,” added Arnold. “Stay focused on us, stay locked in on us. I feel like that’s really going to help us in the long run.”
