- April 19, 2024
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Rex Robich throws a pitch against Nease in the seventh inning. Photo by Ray Boone
Matanzas' Nathan Quinn throws a pitch against Nease. Photo by Ray Boone
The Pirates' Kyle Perry throws a ball toward first base. Photo by Ray Boone
The Pirate's Joseph Alvarado tosses a ball to second base for an out. Photo by Ray Boone
Matanzas' Nathan Quinn throws a pitch against Nease. Photo by Ray Boone
The Pirates' Kyle Perry throws a ball to first base. Photo by Ray Boone
Matanzas' Chad Taylor settles into his stance in the batters' box against Nease. Photo by Ray Boone
Matanzas coach James Perry meets pitcher Nathan Quinn on the mound against Nease. Photo by Ray Boone
The Pirates' Sam Torres runs across home plate against Nease.Photo by Ray Boone
Matanzas' Erik Libby hits a ball into the air against Nease. Photo by Ray Boone
Rex Robich throws a pitch against Nease in the seventh inning. Photo by Ray Boone
When Matanzas’ baseball team charges out of the dugout to take the field in 2019, there will be a lot more youth than in seasons past. Senior Jason Guilbe, junior Joseph Alvarado and junior Will Towles are the Pirates’ only returning starters from last season, according to Pirates head coach James Perry.
All three have taken the underclassmen under their wings.
“We’ve just been trying to show the younger kids that you have to work hard to get better,” said Guilbe, who has played on the team all four years of high school. “It’s not going to just come overnight. We’re trying to instill work ethic in them.”
The struggles that come with fielding a young team have been evident in the Pirates’ first two games. After squeaking out a 5-2 win over Seabreeze in the first game of the season on Feb. 26, the Pirates gave up four runs in the first inning to Nease on Feb. 27. — Matanzas’ first home game.
“If we throw the ball over the plate and catch it, we’re going to be OK,” Perry said. “That comes with youth. You can tell them until you’re blue in the face, but they’ll believe it when it actually happens to them.”
Perry said he expects Guilbe, Alvarado and Towles to be the leaders of this year’s team. Guilbe, who hit .270 with two home runs last year, is the top returning power hitter. Towles hit .305 as a sophomore last season. And Alvarado was moved from shortstop to second base.
“We just want to compete every pitch,” Towles said. “We don’t want to let up at any time.”
Regardless of the youth, Perry said he expects his team to compete — every single game.
“We expect to be in every game,” he said. “You’ve just got to throw it over the plate, catch it, have some timely hitting and good things will happen.”
