View From Two
June 3, 2009
As our season started this year, some people thought we were too hyped up. With a 7-6 start to the season, things just weren’t going the way we had hoped they would. But in our last 20 games we are 18-2 and pretty tough to beat. Winning a conference championship was great and a district title was even better. Now, our team is looking to go somewhere Hamilton baseball hasn’t been in a long time.
Two years ago we played in our regional game against Grand Rapids Christian at Unity Christian. This year we head back there to play Comstock Park. We are definitely hoping to do better this time around, as we got spanked pretty good 14-1. There is more confidence this time than when we were there two years ago. The mentality has changed. We had a goal to win districts two years ago and this year it was kind of an expectation. It’s going to take a great team effort and a real solid defense to continue our season.
With school ending today, coaches have been talking about keeping our focus on the task at hand. Coach mentioned that in years past, it was a little harder for some teams to remain focused during practice. However I don’t see it being a problem for us. Our practices are almost always pretty solid and that will probably be the case as we near the end. Situations like the one we are in can be really easy to press and be tight. But we’re relaxed and still having fun while keeping our focus.
The Detroit Red Wings have been a great example to our baseball team in the playoffs this year. It doesn’t matter what team they are playing or the talent of their opponents, the Red Wings play every game the same way. They play how they want to and use everyone on the ice wearing red and white to win. Go Hawkeyes and Go Wings!
-Corey Schrotenboer
May 11, 2009
Baseball has always had a great reputation in our country. Known as America’s past time, baseball is one of the biggest traditions in America. But that is quickly being thrown away. With so many of the major league players testing positive for steroid use, people are turning their backs on the sport. It is not fair to baseball for these players to be juicin’ up at all. However, high school baseball in Hamilton is different. It isn’t about just one person or what they think is the best thing to do. Major league players with a reputation of being a good hitter will almost never lay down a sacrifice bunt, even if it is best for their team in that situation. I have no doubt that anyone on our team would be willing to do that any time we need it.
So many times I see other schools with players who think they are the show. For some reason they think it is all about them. Honestly, it’s one of the things that bugs me the most. I cannot stand that, and it really shows the fine job teachers and coaches do at Hamilton to prevent that on our athletic teams. One of the best things in Hamilton sports is the unselfishness each team carries throughout the season.
As we enter our last week of conference play, we will need to keep our focus throughout the week. We are currently tied for first place with Zeeland East. With three games this week, we control our fate. Obviously we cannot control what any team does except for ourselves, so we will be looking to remain focused and play as well as we can. As is the case with every team in this league, Rogers and Unity Christian are not just going to give us a game to win. The final week of O-K Green baseball starts tomorrow as we are looking for a win heading into the final games of conference play on Friday.
-Corey Schrotenboer
April 30, 2009
Our baseball program has changed quite a bit over the past few years. Expectations have been raised. Just a couple of years ago, one of the goals of the varsity team was just to have a winning record. When that was done a little bit more was expected. During my freshman year, the varsity team set the school record for most victories in a single season. My sophomore year, our varsity team won our district, the first time Hamilton had done so in nearly two decades. One of the reasons for greater success recently is there is more dedication from the players to get better each day and from the coaches to not let any team settle for less than they are capable of.
Right now our team record is 8-6 overall and 3-2 in the O-K Green. All six of our losses, however, have been by three runs or less, and two of them in extra innings. One of my favorite times so far this year was during our 15-12 loss to West Ottawa in the championship game at the Martin E. Ball tournament. West Ottawa needed just one base hit in the bottom of the fifth to mercy us 14-4. But we stopped them and scored in the sixth and seventh innings to pull within three, just coming up short.
We are coming up on our half-way point through our conference schedule. The O-K Green has already showed its strength as the are only two teams with only one loss and no one undefeated. All the teams in our conference can beat anyone else on any day. The winner of our conference is going to be the team that is ready to play every game and does not make many mistakes. With only two conference losses, both to Wyoming Park, we are still in the running.
Even though it wasn’t finished due to weather, our tournament this past weekend was a huge success. Our baseball and softball programs raised a lot of money for the Susan G. Komen for a cure foundation. It is really exciting knowing how much we helped people in the area. It shows that this season is not just about baseball, but so much more.
-Corey Schrotenboer
