The final score was irrelevant, and so too was the box score. All that mattered was that it was a beautiful night for baseball.
On Monday night, seniors from the Catholic Central League finally got the chance to take the field with players from MIAA member schools facing off against one another for the first time in over a year under the lights at Austin Prep High School.
Seniors from Austin Prep and St. Mary’s took on those from Arlington Catholic, Archbishop Williams, and Bishop Fenwick as the first part of a 10-game schedule that will take place between the two teams. Any CCL senior who was interested in trying out prior to the cancellation of the spring season was invited to play. In all, 26 players took part in opening night.
With the sun gradually setting behind the press box stationed above home plate, and family members socially distancing from one another in the stands, the first game in Austin Prep’s brand new facility took place. Players from both teams received the opportunity to take on-field batting practice and infield/outfield, while St. Mary’s EJ Leone and Arlington Catholic’s Jason Smith were the game’s respective starting pitchers.
“There is a lot of power in sports, both on the mental and physical side.” Austin Prep coach Jonathan Pollard said. “To be able to give the seniors one day, and give them this glimmer of hope, is very rewarding.”
Cougars’ captain Andrew Croteau drilled an opposite-field double in the bottom of the first inning. Prior to the game, Croteau hardly could contain his excitement at the prospect of getting the chance to suit up with his teammates once again.
“This is a good chance for all of us to play,” Croteau said. “I knew we were all bummed out we did not have a season, so being here really cheered everyone up. I’ve been wicked excited to get out here.”
The game finally provided Archbishop Williams coach Jim Dolan and Arlington Catholic coach Chris Hall an opportunity to coach their senior sons. Dolan’s son, Connor, will join his older brother James at St. Rose in the fall but finally provided him the chance to play for his father as a senior.
“I am absolutely psyched,” Connor said as he came off the field from batting practice. “I’ve missed suiting up with everyone and missed playing for my dad, so I am certainly going to enjoy this.”
Pollard and the rest of the league’s fellow coaches took extensive precautions throughout the evening to prioritize safety for both players and fans in attendance. Baseballs were sanitized every time a new pitcher took the mound, Purell was scattered throughout the dugouts, and equipment was split between the bullpens and dugouts.
Pollard, meanwhile, called balls and strikes from behind the mound.
“Me and the other Catholic Central League coaches have met for the last five weeks to closely follow the phases and to determine what was allowed and what he had to follow,” Pollard said. “We have sanitizer everywhere. Guys are divided into different dugouts. We’re doing everything we can.”
The status of the game was up in the air for the majority of the day on Monday as Pollard and the rest of the league’s players and coaches waited for Gov. Charlie Baker’s office to release the latest youth sports guidelines. Once Baker’s office published the latest rules, it was clear with baseball falling in line as a ‘moderate risk’ sport, that Monday night’s game could go on as scheduled.
As Leone took the mound and fired a first pitch strike, those in attendance applauded. High school baseball was finally back in Massachusetts.
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