On Friday, April 19, Berkeley High School’s varsity boys baseball team had a home game against Bishop O’Dowd. Berkeley won 3-2, bringing their record this season to 10 wins and 6 losses. Quinton Hill, a freshman at BHS, pitched for all 7 innings, striking out 5, walking only 1, and only giving up 3 hits. “You know, there was a lot of weight on my shoulders, especially starting against a rival team,” Hill said. “I think I performed very well. I just want to continue doing so.”
Going into the game was a bit rocky for both teams. In the first inning, O’Dowd had no runs or hits. Berkeley managed to get 2 hits but left both runners stranded and scored no runs. In the second inning, neither team got any hits or runs.
Both teams got base runners on during the third inning but were again unable to bring them home. It was not until the fourth inning when O’Dowd got a run across to make the score 1-0. Berkeley was not able to counter in their part of the 4th and neither team was able to do anything in the 5th inning. “It's a rival game, so the emotions and intensity of it are at a high level, so everything is magnified during the game,” head coach Curtis Sandeford said.
During the 6th inning, Berkeley was able to get some play. O’Dowd had no runs or hits, but Berkeley managed to score twice from a clutch base hit by sophomore Keanu Moss, giving them the lead in the game 2-1.
In the top of the last inning, O’Dowd was able to tie the game with a solo home run. In the bottom of the 7th, Berkeley managed to get 2 runners on. “We were shut out for a long time and we got the two runs and then they tied the game up in the top of the seventh,” Sandeford said. With one out, junior Parks Ramsdale delivered a walk off base hit, bringing home Quinton Hill on 3rd base, ending the game 3-2. Family, friends, and faculty all bounded with happiness and jumped from their seats for the final run.
“I think there definitely was a lot more energy in this game. I think this was a pretty average game for me, but as a team is a great way to go about,” sophomore Isaiah Mays said. “I think we can get a little chirpy. All love at the end of the day. I love these guys. We're gonna keep riding together.”
“You know, we're a family. It's not just a team. And we pick each other up when we get knocked down and that's just what we do,” Hill said.