Swinging into the season

The Cedar Shoals varsity baseball team kicked off their season with a doubleheader at home on Feb 16. The Jags were initially scheduled to play the Johnson High School (JHS) Knights on Feb.. 12., but the game was postponed due to inclement weather. With preseason training starting in September and on-field practices starting in January, the Jaguars were eager to take the field and start off the year. 

“There’s a lot of new guys on the team, so we’re trying to get them comfortable with swinging, doing the basics of baseball. I feel that we were ready, but when the game happened, I felt that we couldn’t transfer what we didn’t practice into the game,” sophomore catcher Aiden Johnson said.

Although both teams went scoreless in the first inning, the Knights scored six runs in the top of the second, adding five runs to their lead in the third. 

“We played a little bit below our potential, but I don’t ever bring into a game an expectation -that we’re going to do really good..’ If we play like we’re supposed to, then we will do well. It’s not about setting an expectation before games, it’s being best prepared,” head-coach Cameron Hale said. 

After three innings, junior pitcher Jon Swinsburg left the mound after striking out three, walking five and giving up 11 runs (nine earned). Freshman outfielder and pitcher Danny Salter finished out the inning pitching, ending the game with two strikeouts and two walks on seven hits. 

Despite the tough loss to start the season, Jon Swinsburg was encouraged by the team’s attitude. 

“ I think the team did a good job. Most of these guys have never played baseball in their life or they haven’t in a very long time, and I didn’t hear any complaining. Everyone tried their best and we had fun,” Jon Swinsburg said. 

Sophomore first baseman, shortstop, and pitcher Zac Pomeroy took the mound for the start of the second game, holding JHS scoreless in the first inning on a fly ball double play and catching a runner stealing. The Jaguars then scored two runs in the first, with both Johnson and Ben Swinsburg stealing home. During the second, however, the Knights scored six runs, adding one more in the top of the fourth. In the fifth inning, the Knights scored an additional eight runs, and the Jaguars scored four more as well before the game ended. 

“The things we didn’t do too well on were all mechanical mistakes that we can just improve on over time. This team is very young and very inexperienced. The only thing they can do right now is learn the game and learn how to face hardships because there will be plenty of games like last night this season, and I just hope these guys keep playing and learn to love the game,” Jon Swinsburg said.