Liam Geib (ligeib@ursinus.edu)
In their first full season since 2019, returning upperclassmen of the baseball team reflect on what to expect from this season. Seniors Matteo Falcone, Timothy Pyne, and James Schuld are three of the six returning seniors this year who have had the privilege to experience a full season prior to this upcoming one. Falcone stated, “The only full year we had back freshman year was a long but quick season. There are a lot of games (40) and it feels like every day is a gameday. Forty games is a lot but when that all goes by in a matter of 50-ish days, it goes by quickly.” His insight clarifies that the Bears can have a great season if they have a couple good weeks in a row. It definitely is within the reach of this year’s team, as James Schuld expressed. “We may have a young team with little experience but the talent is there. At the end of the day it’s baseball…we can go out and win any given day.” It is evident Schuld has a ton of confidence in this team looking to finish their first full season in three years strong.
Now having completed just under one half of the season with a record of 7-10, the upperclassmen also have an outlook on what to expect moving forward throughout the season. Falcone spoke to the current outlook on the season so far: “We aren’t quite where we want to be yet. We’re getting better everyday but we need to stay focused every single practice and game. Right now we’re streaky, we have two wins in a row and we need to keep building on those.” With the Bears being in this situation having young talent, experience is crucial. Pyne emphasized, “As for advice for freshmen, take in every moment because as much as 40 games sounds like a lot, it is gone in a blink of an eye and your first year of college is behind you. I’m a senior and have been a part of this program for 4 years and it feels like I blinked and I am where I am at right now with a month left of my career. If you buy into every moment and enjoy the process, you will get the most out of this experience and will find a way to win.” It is clear from these three seniors of the baseball team that they have high standards and high hopes for this team after their departure. No matter the day, it seems the Bears have a lot to be excited about.