On Friday, May 2, 2025, the Berkeley High School boys baseball team played against Piedmont High School Highlanders at Tim Moellering Field. This was a very high stakes game, as the team had lost to Piedmont earlier in the season. The Jackets came into the match with an aim at redemption.
The game kicked off with BHS senior Chase Worthington making it to home base after a teammate hit a ball that Piedmont was unable to recover, putting the score at the end of the first inning 1-0. This was an exciting start to the game, bringing up the energy both on and off the field. BHS continued with pitcher Quinton Hill, a BHS sophomore, throwing continuous strikes against batters. Hill explained that the previous against the Highlanders was the main motivation for the team. He said, “The loss against Piedmont really fueled a fire in our team because if we didn’t win those last three games, we wouldn’t make it to the playoffs.”
At the top of the third inning, Piedmont hit a few ground balls and managed to load their bases, but Berkeley’s strong defense was quick to throw them out, securing their lead. At the bottom of the third inning, when Berkeley was up to bat, the crowd could feel the team’s energy. This culminated in BHS junior Akanni Owodunni hitting a home run out of the park, sending himself and all three loaded bases home, ending the inning with a confident 5-0 Jacket lead.
The team’s scoring run did not stop there, and Berkeley continued to dominate the game. BHS outfielders were quick to counter any of Piedmont’s attempted runs, keeping the Jackets in the lead. At the bottom of the fifth inning, Worthington stepped up to the plate with three loaded bases and hit a grand slam, giving the Jackets a steep 9-0 lead.
Despite the run of success the Jackets experienced throughout the first half, the Highlanders were still persevering. Piedmont was able to get a good hit that sent a runner home in the sixth inning, bringing the score to 9-1. However, the Jackets proved to be more determined, and recovered from Piedmont’s point by finishing out the inning with strong defense. When Berkeley was up to bat again, the Jacket dugout buzzed with excitement as BHS senior Arson Ormsby hit a ball that allowed BHS junior Isaiah Mays to make a run. Berkeley’s defense continued to prevail, and they closed out the game with a 10-1 win for the Jackets.
This win was especially important as the team began their season with a rocky string of losses, which they have since recovered from through hard work. Ormsby said, “I think that at the beginning of the season, we struggled to put runs together through hitting, but now we’re getting bat on ball.”
The Jackets hope to win their next two league games and finish off the regular season strong, continuing into playoffs after. BHS junior Enrique Sotelo explained that the best strategy for winning in playoffs is going to be staying loose and calm. “You can’t get too tense, you just gotta go out there and have fun with it. I’m just gonna go out there and play with my brothers beside me,” Sotelo said. BHS baseball is currently ranked third overall in the Western Alameda County Conference (WACC) league, but the team hopes to continue to climb the ranks as they progress into the playoffs.