EvCC Baseball after NWAC Championship

For the past two seasons, the EvCC Baseball team has remained the runner-up in the 2018 Baseball Championship Tournament. Their goal for the upcoming season is to bring that streak to an end.

Getting to the championship game is an admirable achievement in its own regard, but the glory and satisfaction of bringing home a championship ring are what each and every player on the 2018 Trojan squad seeks to experience.

With six preseason games under their belt, the players and coaches are starting to get a feel for what is working and what isn’t, although their 4-2 record says say there is a lot working for the team so far.

“The only thing that I would change right now is more consistency,” said Alex Spahman, EvCC Sophomore, and pitcher.

The Trojans have the ability to put big numbers on the board. One example of doing so is their 15 inning bout against Tacoma in their entrance game to the 2017 Championship Tournament, where they had to tally up substantial numbers to eventually defeat Tacoma 8-7 just to keep their championship dreams alive.

Although players and coaches would like to see those numbers spread out throughout the game and not come in bunches every few innings.

“Our confidence is really what keeps us going, I mean, we got down in the second game down 2-0, but our confidence got us back in the game,” said Cameron McGrath, Trojan sophomore, and shortstop.

The team’s chemistry is also just as important as the skill that defines a squad. If a team of great players can’t work together, wins are hard to come by. The Trojans, however, encompass textbook team camaraderie.

“I think what’s working is our team chemistry, it’s been huge, this whole offseason we’ve been working with each other in scrimmages,” Says Marcus McCannel, EvCC Freshman, and Catcher.
The main focus of this team is redemption. Levi Lacey, long-term Trojan head coach, recently moved on to the next chapter in his life, leaving JoJo Howie as the interim head coach for Everett.

This team has the goal to win the NWAC championship and their goal is to “Send a ring to Levi” according to Trojan Shortstop McGrath.

The offseason was primarily focused on preparation to get in the championship frame of mind. The ultimate goal is a championship but it takes a season to get there.

“We’re trying to do a good job at embracing big games,” said Howie. “The goal is to get ourselves in the position to have that opportunity, It’s tough to get there.”

A large part of the offseason was fixated on one word: finishing. “Finishing and putting high pressure on them, finishing the end of a drill, finishing the end of a scrimmage, winning the end of a game,” said Howie when discussing the team’s disposition for the upcoming 2018 season.

“We’ve fallen short the last few years,” said EvCC veteran Spahman “I mean it hurts, but this year the theme of the year is to finish.”