PITCHING A NEW FUTURE

By Maraki Tamrat ’23 for The Alcove Student Newspaper.

In sports, injuries are a common occurrence. Athletes must push their bodies to the limit, and in some cases, it results in unfortunate accidents. This year’s baseball season has been filled with players subbing in and out due to the state of the injuries on the team. Whether a sprained ankle or recovering from surgery, a lot of players saw their season cut short.

This season alone, Greenhills has had nine injured players, but still, the team manages to pull off impressive victories. Its 10-0 win against Frankel Jewish Academy on May 11 is one prime example. With a season record of 14-10, the baseball team is proving it won’t let setbacks get in their way.

“It’s been a struggle for us this year,” said Brandt Toporski ’24 “We have had nine injuries, which is a lot, but a lot of the people on this team wouldn’t have had the opportunities otherwise to step up and really improve.”

Toporski believes that due to the injuries of some players, this year’s baseball season was decent, but next year, they’ll be aiming for states.

Sam Dorfman ’23, one of two captains, also sees a hopeful future for Greenhills baseball.

“I think that the team will still be very strong next year because we’re only losing a couple of seniors and will also be getting people back from injuries.” Dorfman said. “One of our captains, Owen Day (’24), is a junior and I think he will do a great job leading the team next year. The current sophomore class is also going to be great in a year from now because of the experience they will have had from their years as underclassmen on a varsity team.”

Dorfman’s optimistic view of the team is one that is shared by many others on the baseball team. From the way in which the pitchers delivered great performances, to the way in which the players stopped the opposing team from making any significant plays, to the communication within the team, it is clear that the players understand one another. They knew that each player who was injured meant that they had to work even harder to make up for the loss.

“We have a lot of talented and young players,” said Talen Pilz ’25, who was also named Ann Arbor Athlete of the Week. “I’m excited to see how the future of Greenhills baseball will turn out because we have a lot of potential already.”.

From keeping Frankel Jewish Academy scoreless throughout the game to their visible determination on the field, their hard work has paid off heavily. Throughout this season, the Greenhills baseball team has demonstrated that they were more than just a group of athletes. They are individuals who came together despite hardships and challenges and were still able to remain victorious.

“Despite some injury setbacks we’re having an excellent year,” added head coach Tom Ward. “We have a chance to win 20-plus games this season and are vying for the district championship. Districts are just around the corner on May 30 and June 2, and we’re excited to play host to it on our home field at Concordia.”