Baseball anticipates promising spring season

With spring rolling in, athletes and coaches are beginning to prepare for the upcoming season. The St. Martin’s high school baseball team hopes to make it to the playoffs and plans to take it one game at a time with the assistance from their senior leaders.

At the heart of the team is Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach Frank Gendusa. He has been coaching various sports, including baseball, for 22 years.

“Having coached so many years in so many sports, (I enjoy) watching the kids compete, learn how to compete, and take what they have learned in practice and put it forward in the games,” Gendusa said.

Sophomore Gavin Sperandeo, an outfielder and pitcher, believes the team has a very strong chance of making it far, possibly even past the playoffs and to state.

“The seniors know how good we could be, and they’re really taking it seriously by pushing us during practice,” Sperandeo said. “This year, the seniors have taught me how to encourage my teammates in positive ways, instead of putting them down negatively.”

The seven seniors on the team have each set high goals and standards for each other—and for the team as well.

Senior Kolby McWilliams, who plays catcher, pitcher, and third baseman, earned a scholarship to Spring Hill College and has committed to play baseball there. He is excited to meet his new family.

“It’ll be a different game,” McWilliams said. “I have to adjust a bit to faster pitching, bigger athletes, and older guys, but I’m just really excited to continue my career past high school.”

The team will face various obstacles throughout the long season, but with hard work and positive leadership from the seniors, hopefully the team can be triumphant.

“There’s an old saying the coaches have: You win or lose with your seniors,” Gendusa said. “When it comes down (to it), that’s really true. It’s how they perform and how they lead that makes a big difference on how your season is going to go.”