With winter and cold weather comes snow and ice. Luckily, it also brings the start of a new baseball season here at Lake Forest High School.
Just a few weeks ago, the Scouts baseball team started its open gym practices, where players can come and get warm for the first time to prepare for the upcoming season. The bats are swinging, gloves are live, and plays are being made.
Senior left-hand pitcher Callum Morrison explained that the team has been showing up and showing out at the open gyms.
“Open gyms are looking good, turnouts are great, and we always have everyone doing something they need to work on,” Morrison said.
The Scouts ended on a strong note last year by winning 6 games straight, then falling short to Prairie Ridge and finishing the season at .500. The team is itching to win a sectional championship this coming year, which hasn’t been done in over a decade, Morrison explains.
“The mentality for this season is that, for most of us, it’s the last time we’ll ever play ball, and we just wanna go out and win a sectional championship which hasn’t been done in over a decade… and be the team we know we can be,” Morrison said.
Morrison had a tremendous summer season, maintaining a 0.74 ERA with Slammers Baseball Club. He plans to replicate that and bring it with him to the Scouts this spring season.
With the turkey season and Thanksgiving break coming to an end, the team plans to ramp things up and practice even more.
“We usually get together one to two, maybe three times a week right now, but the intensity will definitely ramp up after Thanksgiving,” senior pitcher Nate Brezak said.
Brezak had an absolutely memorable season, striking out 57 total batters, which led him to be ranked 3rd in the entire conference. His goal this year is not to be 3rd again, or 2nd, but to be number 1.
Nate explained how growing up together on and off the field has created long lasting friendships for many of the players on the varsity team.
“I am so excited to take the field one last time with my teammates that I’ve been playing baseball with since I was eight years old… We already have a strong chemistry because of the team bonding we do off the field,” Brezak said.
The open gyms allow the younger players to warm up with the returning varsity players and get to know them. It isn’t just a chance for them to bond, but also an opportunity to learn new skills from the coaches and keep growing as developing players.
Only time will tell what the season will be like for the Lake Forest Scouts baseball team this year. But it’s obvious there are two goals in mind: to win a sectional championship and build a brotherhood.
