The Selma High Varsity Baseball team started their season off with a bang earning a win against Sanger West, winning 5-3. Following this win, the Bears went on to play against Central Valley Christian High School, gaining their first loss. The Bears went on to break their loss streak by winning 5-4 against one of their tougher competitors, Kerman High. On March 29th, the Bears will head to Morro Bay to compete in a tournament against Morro Bay High and other participating schools.
Varsity Coach John Hollett expressed his comments on the team’s season so far.
“We have played a really tough preseason schedule. We’ve lost on a walk off and we’ve won on a walkoff,” Coach Hollett stated.
Coach Hollett followed up with the team’s goals for the rest of their season.
“Our goal for each year is to get better on an individual basis. We need to control the controllables as in F.A.C.E, Focus, Attitude, Coachability, and Effort, our team motto,” Hollett shared. “When we do these things, we will win more than we lose.”
Senior Dallas Luna explained how the team has grown from the beginning.
“We’ve grown through team bonding. We always try to make sure to have fun together on and off the field,” Luna described. “We somehow find ways to have a laugh and grow together not as teammates, but as friends.”
Luna revealed his plans to further his education locally while continuing his football and baseball career at the collegiate level.
As for second year varsity player Nico Torres, he shared his experience playing this season.
“This year has definitely been fun. There’s been many ups and downs, but we work hard everyday and will get what we work so hard for.”
Nico also shared his advice on how to prepare for next year’s baseball season and how he plans to prepare for his senior year.
“Players need to be ready to work hard every single day,” Torres shared. “They need to be ready to be a part of our baseball family. As for my plans, I want to win league and go to the Valley Championship.”
Both players disclosed some memorable moments from throughout their years playing the sport.
“I remember getting called up freshman year to play in playoffs. I didn’t think I was good enough to, but I still got the call,” Nico recalled.
“My memorable moment was having a 12-0 win streak my sophomore year when I was on JV. The amount of fun and excitement the whole team had together was unmatched. It’s something I definitely wish I could experience again,” Luna reflected on.
Coach Hollett shared the team’s plan to continue performing well.
“We’re going to try to encourage [our players] and motivate them in a positive way. We need to make adjustments and improvements based on game to game performance and by building the overall team chemistry,” Hollett expressed.
