This year is all about redemption for the Bulldogs.
Last year, the ORR boys’ baseball team, under head coach Steve Carvalho, went 12-9, which qualified them for the MIAA state tournament, where they were immediately knocked out by conference rival Apponequet. This year, the Bulldogs hope to redeem their state tournament loss and advance further into the postseason. With several key returners and newcomers, they are certainly capable of doing just that.
Expected to lead the team are senior captains Andrew Ryan, Chris Carando, and Tyler Zell. Ryan will be the Bulldogs’ top pitcher this spring, with Zell contributing both on the mound and in the outfield. Carando will be resuming his position of shortstop from last spring to lead the infield. Other key players for the Bulldogs will be junior outfielders Jordan Menard and Mitch Midwood, senior outfielder/infielder Kiernan Besse, and designated hitter Austin Salkind, who is expected to play second base later on in the season. Freshman John Breault will be making his varsity debut playing catcher.
The sheer amount of returning players is a major strength for the Bulldogs. Almost devoid of an inexperienced starting lineup, the team already works well together and has the chemistry needed to succeed in the competitive SCC.
Another major strength for the Bulldogs is their depth. “The biggest strength that our team has is our balance in all aspects of the game,” said senior Besse. “You won’t find many teams in the area with the depth that we have in hitting, pitching, and defense.”
This depth and chemistry should allow the Bulldogs to keep focused during the hectic months of spring, when student athletes need to balance regular schoolwork with final exam preparations, school social events, and other extracurricular activities. Luckily, the Bulldogs have set long-term goals and plan to work hard and stay dedicated.
“The overall goal for the season is to win ten games as quickly as possible so we start preparing for a playoff run as soon as we can,” said Besse. “We’d really like to make a strong playoff push this year, and it will be a lot easier to focus the sooner we qualify.”
The boys’ first conference game will be against the Case Cardinals at Case High School on Friday, April 4 at 3:30 pm.
By Michael Kassabian
