Baseball’s veteran leadership hopes to bounce back with resilience and cohesion

Just a week separates the baseball team from its season debut against Louisville. For a team itching to get onto the open field, March 4 could not come quicker.

While many take the return of warm weather and blue skies for granted, the Tigers relish this spring as an opportunity to turn a new leaf. Last year, Princeton baseball skidded to a 7-32 record which included blowout losses to Maryland, Monmouth and Cornell. However, after reflecting for a year and adding a stellar freshman class, the team returns more hopeful than ever.

The core of baseball’s new season centers on the team’s long-time head coach Scott Bradley and four senior captains: Danny Hoy, Billy Arendt, Cameron Mingo and Luke Strieber. Every single one brings veteran experience to the team: Bradley will be entering his 19th year as baseball’s head coach and the Hoy-Arendt duo have been a staple of the starting lineup for four consecutive years.

However, for the casual fan, it would be a mistake to misinterpret the veteran experience as complacency or sluggishness. Far from it, the team, entering this season, will emphasize a culture of change and growth. According to Hoy, “This year everything has changed from top to bottom. Our coach [Bradley] from day one has been a big advocate of change. We have a lot of good team leadership.”

In terms of senior captains, All-Ivy infielders Billy Arendt and Dan Hoy have been a menace to opponents for years. In fact, the duo led Princeton’s team in batting averages last year. Their offensive and defensive dominance earned them the William J. Clarke Award for overall baseball proficiency last year. Even so, as fierce competitors, Hoy mentioned that he still has higher goals for himself. The Pennsylvania native said, “Personally, you have to build on last year. I want to try to run the base a little better this year – make the most of the things out on the field. I also want to cut down on defensive errors, really focusing on the little things.”

On the other hand, senior captains Cameron Mingo and Luke Strieber will lead a team of 14 pitchers. Mingo missed the majority of the past season, but Strieber started in eight of the team’s 39 games last season. During that time period, Strieber accumulated a team-best 3.86 ERA. Mingo and Strieber hope to share their experience with the young squad to improve Princeton’s sixth place pitching ranking within the Ivy League.

At the same time, the captains bring more than an impressive skill set and long history of accolades; they bring a new attitude and energy to the team. When asked to expand, Billy Arendt said it best: “A big one is just making sure that I maintain a positive attitude no matter what the game brings. Last year when we were down, we’d be done. I just want to make sure our guys know that we may be down but we’re going to fight. Maybe even breaking the tension of a pressure-filled moment with a goofy attitude. Every once in a while you get a moment to be silly.”

Hoy complemented Arendt’s hopes with his own optimism, “How you bounce back from last year? How can you deal with the failure? Resilience. It’s the guys who came back after striking out. We have a lot of guys that really embody that spirit. There’s a new feel in the locker room.”

Beyond the unified leadership under the captain, Princeton baseball returns and welcomes a deep team, starting with this year’s cohort of eight freshmen. Covering every position on the field, the freshmen are catcher Alex Dickinson, pitcher and infielder Joseph Flynn, outfielder Jesper Horsted, pitcher Tanner Kliewer, infielder and outfielder Max Machiorlette, pitcher Trey Ramsey, pitcher Ryan Smith and finally catcher Max West.

The impressive rookies add both diversity (Horsted also plays on the football team and West originates from Singapore). Even though an age gap may divide the veteran seniors from the freshman, the two groups have already begun to bond. Arendt said, “I am most excited probably about our freshman class. We brought in eight or nine guys but they all have really embraced work ethic that is amazing. They push themselves to be the best they can be. We’re looking forward to seeing how they can make our team better.”

Eye will also be watching the Tiger’s catcher position with the graduation of four-year starter Tyler Servais. In his place, senior Andrew Christie, freshman Alex Dickinson, senior Andres Larramendi and freshman Max West will all vie for the position. Dickinson and West have shown potential to lead the team but for the moment, the choice rests in Scott Bradley’s hands.

With the renewed leadership and depth, the Tigers will spend the majority of March traveling along the East Coast to face the likes of Louisville, Old Dominion and Georgetown to name a few. The team will then focus on Ivy League opponents through April. Yet, even with the preparation, the team’s true test will come as the season wears on. With the battle in sight, senior Danny Hoy left a few words to advice for his fellow teammates when he said, “I would say keep your head up. You’re going to have good days and bad days. There are going to be many more lows than highs. You have to be resilient. There’s no room for those who aren’t.”