Winter sports wrap, King’s spring baseball team optimistic

Lower Manhattan, NEW YORK—The winter sports officially concluded in late February with both the women’s basketball and men’s basketball facing off against Cooper Union at Baruch Middle School. The women’s team wrapped their season with a 38-42 loss against Cooper Union’s women’s team. Shortly after the women’s game finished, the men’s team faced Cooper Union’s men’s team, losing their last home game of the season 42-51.

Now preparation has begun for the sole upcoming spring sport—baseball. King’s baseball team is still relatively young, this year marking the first season the team is officially a part of the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) and USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The membership into the leagues became official with the start of the 2012-13 academic year.

This season brings “some solid new additions in [freshmen] Eduardo Miranda, John Rabe, Scott Bryan and Matt Sifert,” among others, including outfielder Gabriel Medina (’16), said Captain Jeremiah Gill (’15).

Gill is entering his first season as team captain, but the responsibility doesn’t damper his outlook on the season. “I’m looking forward to playing with the most competitive team King’s baseball has seen yet,” Gill said. He believes that this year’s team has talent and potential perform better than last season’s team.

“Our pitching staff is deep and our fielding abilities will make it difficult for our opponents to score on us. Offensively, our bats are lively and I have no doubt we will hit extremely well,” Medina said.

Players began full-squad practices in late February, going over fundamentals and techniques as well as live batting. They currently practice on Mondays and Thursdays from 12 pm to 3 pm.

Peter Flemming (’14), SBP-elect and one of the few upperclassmen on the team, looks forward to the season as well. “We brought in some great talent, so I think we will be on a much higher competitive level this spring,” he said.

Medina, a left fielder, described the team as “a great group of guys who have devoted themselves to bettering the program and making a name for not only the baseball team, but for the King’s College in general.”

Although there are no home games due to lack of a playing field, the team’s first away game is March 8 vs. Cairn. For more information about the baseball team, or King’s athletics, visit tkc.edu/athletics.