Summer Institute Sports Writing & Digital Media: SHC Hall of Fame Baseball Academy

by Mark Pardini

July 11, 2012 | Student News

Read what students in SHC’s Summer Institute class on Sports Writing & Digital Media have to say:

Sports Media Writing Camp

Carmel Gisslow

Mr. Nuttall’s Sports Media Writing and Digital Media class stopped in at Sacred Heart Cathedral Hall of Fame Baseball Academy. First they went to the batting cages and took short video clips of the batters taking batting practice from a pitching machine and from coaches. Afterward they went to the practice field to watch players, ages 5-14, do warm ups including fielding ground balls and pop flies, throwing, and hitting. Here they interviewed coaches, high school students, middle school students, and elementary school students. They asked questions like, “Who is your biggest inspiration to play baseball?” and they recorded the answers as videos on the school’s student iPads.

After lunch, the students went to Lang Field and the practice field to watch live games being played. At the two fields on Lang, the oldest and middle-aged groups of campers were playing. The youngest kids were playing at the practice field.  In the oldest group, the Marlins were playing the Braves and scored a monstrous 15 runs in the first two innings! With singles all around, and a few exceptional hits (by players like Alex who hit a triple, and Douglas who hit a homerun) everyone who was watching this game knew it was one for the record books. The students of Mr. Nuttall’s class also tweeted game details on the SHC Athletics Twitter feed (@SHCathletics). More video footage was taken at these games and students will edit it into a sportscast by the end of the week. Check back soon for the videos!

Braves vs. Marlins

Jane Seslar

The Braves and Marlins, made up of the older campers at the SHC Hall of Fame Baseball Academy, played a game at Lang Field Tuesday. Both teams had many hits and runs, making it a very exciting game to watch.

After the first inning the score was 2-2 but thing got much more exciting in the second innin. The Braves led off with back-to-back singles to drive in a run. After the Marlins got two outs on a strikeout and a groundout, the Braves got back on the board as the Braves got a double and the next two hitters reached base on errors, and then an RBI single made the score 6-2. Alex then hit a triple making the score 7-2. The side was retired when Justin popped up to third base and the Braves were out to play defense to protect their lead.

The Marlins were up to bat and they did an outstanding job. They got a lead-off single before Douglas hit a long bomb over the left fielder’s head and ran up on the tail of his teammate while charging for home plate for the two-run homerun to make the score 7-4 Braves. The Marlins drew closer at 7-6 with five singles a batter hit into a fielder’s choice, advancing his teammate to 2nd base. After this magnificent comeback I had to go, leaving me on a cliffhanger not knowing the final score.

Everybody Wins In Their Own Way

Omar Flenoid

The SCH Hall of Fame Baseball Academy traveled to Lang Field Tuesday to have a pickup game with the 9-12 year olds to see what they had learned from camp so far. The Indians were battling the Red Sox. The Red Sox jumped out to an early 7-1 lead and it stayed this score throughout the whole game. The Indians were trying their best to catch up but they just could not. However, the Indians players had lots of teamwork; they collaborated perfectly with each other, making sure everybody had a turn batting and playing defense. Their secret weapon was the strategies they came up with, which worked for a while until the other team would find a way to get around them. The Red Sox and their great coach, Sean O’Donnell ‘15, were just a better team all around. Their batting was outstanding, hitting almost every pitch that came at them. Their teamwork needed a little bit of work, but their defense answered for it during the game. When the game came to an end, both teams won in their own way, the Red Sox won on the scoreboard and the Indians won by showing good teamwork.

Baseball Camp at Sacred Heart Cathedral

Hope Lang

There is a baseball camp going on at SHC this week called the Hall of Fame Baseball Academy. Tuesday morning, the campers were doing drills including practicing fielding and hitting. Jackie, age 7, said that she enjoys the camp and likes to play second base. SHC student Sean O’Donnell ‘15 coaches the team called the Red Sox, who were playing against the Indians at Lang Field. The Indians were coached by Anthony. The score was 7 to 1 in the top of the fifth inning, the Red Sox clearly in control. I think the Indians made a great comeback to end the game.

Summer Baseball Camp

James Bajamundi

Several young baseball players at the Hall of Fame Baseball Academy Tuesday took time away from training at the SHC practice field, for interviews about the camp. One of them said, “It’s fun here because I really like baseball.” Another campers said, “It is fun but sometimes it’s hard.” Some of the high school coaches were also interviewed during the game at Lang Field. One said that he loved coaching young people because he gets to do his two favorite things: coaching and baseball. But he also said he sometimes has a hard time with the team when they’re loud and rowdy. The Hall of Fame Baseball Academy develops strong and hard-working teams. In the afternoon contest, the Red Sox were playing against the Indians with the Red Sox leading 7-1 at press time.

A Day in the Field

Fiorella Martinez

The Sports Writing and Digital Media class went out to the practice field on Tuesday, July 10, 2012, and watched the SHC Hall of Fame Baseball Academy. “There are about 120 kids in the camp,” said Coach James Pickerrell ‘10. In the morning, their coaches directed them in a variety of drills, including working with partners to field ground balls and playing catch. However, they do not just work at the practice field, they go to the batting cages and practice hitting. While waiting to hit, the kids have to wait in a line patiently. Then at noon, the campers went to the Dinning Hall for lunch. After lunch, they all headed out to the field where they were split into teams to have scrimmages. Each team is coached by a high school student. Sean O’Donnell ‘15 coached a middle-aged team, the Red Sox. His team was playing against Anthony’s team, the Indians, and led 7-1 before leaving Lang Field at around 2:15.

A Day at SHC Baseball Academy

Davis Barkocy

Tuesday was the second day of SHC Hall of Fame Baseball Academy. During the morning the campers had warm ups on the SHC practice field and in the gym. In the batting cages, the kids were hitting, fielding, and catching fly balls. After lunch the campers and coaches headed out to play a game. Some of the younger kids went to the practice field, while the older kids went to Lang and Kimble park. The Marlins battled the Braves at Lang and after just one inning the Braves led 7-2. Douglas’ 2-run homerun in the second inning gave the Marlins a chance of winning, but that chance was soon spoiled. After another inning the Braves were still up by 1, and the Marlins could not come up with another. After two more scoreless and exciting innings, the score was 7-6 Braves.

Mateo’s Big Game

Christina Arenas

At the SHC Hall of fame Baseball Academy we meet little 5-year-old Mateo going into the 1st grade. Mateo is up at bat, hits the ball, runs to first and gets out. The opposing pitcher is Christian Rues ’15. After 3 outs they change sides. As catcher, Mateo throws the batter out at first base. Mateo tries his hardest to get the batter out at home plate but fails to do that deed. The next inning, he is on deck, ready to take his turn at bat. Mateo is up at bat: strike 1. On the very next pitch, he hits the ball hard and makes it to first base. Three outs and it is time to switch sides again. Mateo made is first out on the field, playing first base. Mateo throws the ball at full speed for a boy his size! Mateo is up to bat again the next inning; he has one strike. His next hit is amazing; he makes it all the way to second base. His team cheers for him as they all run to him and hug him and scream "yea!" All the girls adore him and his style of baseball.

Ms. Stylish playing Baseball

Arianna Vallejo

Here comes Jackie, age 7, from the SHC Hall of Fame Baseball Academy with her stylish, pink helmet grabbing a bat ready to swing, Christian Rues ‘15 pitches the ball, she swings and misses. Strike one. She misses again, strike two. She gets one last chance, looks straight at the ball, imagining it is a white, cold, and hard snowball, but she swings and misses again, strike three. After the teams switch sides, Stylish Jackie is now coming in as pitcher with Rues, who pitches the ball to Kevin, a rising 4th grader. Kevin swings and hits the dirty, smelly, hard ball. It goes up in the air and Jackie runs after it with the coaches yelling, “Come on, follow the ball!” She keeps running; it is coming down, and she catches it! Kevin is out; great job Jackie.

Summer Baseball

Derek Hanson

Summer baseball starts up again for week two at SHC. The early morning mainly consists of defensive drills over at SHC’s practice field across the street, run by high school students and some of the coaches of the SHC Hall of Fame Baseball Academy, including Coach Fran who has been involved with the school’s baseball program for over 25 years. After a long day of working hard on hitting in the batting cages and defensive drills, the campers go to lunch, then hit Lang Field down the street for scrimmages. Afternoon scrimmages begin and the boys are split up into three groups by age: the youngest, middle and two older groups. One of the older groups consists of a game up between the Braves and the Marlins. After the second inning, the Braves lead by only 1 run after being up by 5 at the beginning of the inning. After the practice games, that’s the end of day for the young sluggers.