Saints improve to 8-3
Published 1:29 am Saturday, April 8, 2017
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s baseball team is now 8-3 after a 2-0 win over Southampton Academy at home Friday.
Southampton is considered amongst the best teams in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association’s Division III level. This was NSA’s fourth win in a row and the third of the week.
James Mullin got the win at pitcher. Mullin also had a RBI in the first inning.
“We are just taking them one game at a time,” NSA coach David Mitchell said. “We don’t look too far ahead; we take it one game at a time. We got a win over a good Southampton team to cap off a good week for us.”
NSA has surprised coaches and spectators through Virginia. It wasn’t expected that the Saints could be this good this season after losing 10 seniors last year. Mitchell knew his players had their work cut out for them, and they have responded well.
NSA didn’t have a goal to reach a certain number of wins this year. With a younger team, the Saints wanted to focus on developing and doing things their way, instead of on focusing on last year’s team.
“Our message to the kids now is we want to finish as strong as we started,” Mitchell said. “I don’t think anyone was expecting to have the season we have had so far. We have opened a few eyes.”
What’s impressive about the Saints so far is that they’re still trying to find their groove. The complete team has only been together for about five weeks, because some players were playing other sports.
“I told the guys we are really just starting to gel,” Mitchell said. “We’re starting to get to know each other more and getting more comfortable. It’s amazing, looking at how the team is starting to come together. They are their own team, and they’re trying to write their own book.”
One thing that Mitchell has been happy with so far is the contribution he gets from everyone. There aren’t one or two players that carry the team. Each game Mitchell gets production from a different group of guys.
“Whether it is pitching or offensively, we have a different group of guys producing every game,” Mitchell said. “They have taken on the idea that it is a new game and another chance for someone to step up.”
NSA will play Peninsula Catholic High School at home at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.