Four Game Winning Streak Keeps Baseball Playoff Hopes Alive

ONE HUNDRED PERCENT COMMITTMENT: Freshman Richard Caldaza (Top) gets caught in a rundown against LACES on Apr. 2. Junior Alex Fernandez (Bottom) continued the Cats' success against the Unicorns pitcher en route to a 9-1 win.

After a disappointing and inconsistent start to the season and league play, the Boys' Baseball team is rising with a four game winning streak as their season enters the final stretch.
The Cats are showing they have the skills to fulfill some of the high expectations from earlier in the season. With four All-League candidates in seniors Justin Moore, Jose Medina, Michael Chun and Stephon Brown, the Cats expected to challenge the rival Palisades Dolphins for the Western League title.
They showed their ability to compete with highly ranked opponents in their Mar. 5 home meeting against the perennial City powerhouse Roosevelt Roughriders. The Cats took the Roughriders the distance losing 1-0. Medina pitched a gem going seven innings, striking out seven and allowing only one unearned run. Although there have been bright spots such as Medina's performance against the Roughriders and the play of All-City candidate Justin Moore ( .528 BA/3 HR/8 RBI/15 R) the Cats have not been able to sustain success until this current four game streak.
Three losing streaks of three games or more, including a five game losing streak during the non-league schedule, and a 1-4 record in games decided by one run highlight the Cats inconsistency. The Cats' losing streaks have been fueled by a slumping offense. Throughout the Cats' five game losing streak from Mar. 3 to Mar. 11, the Cats were outscored 35-6 during that span.
League play has not been any easier for the Cats suffering sweeps at the hands of the Dolphins and the Venice Gondoliers, but their current four game winning streak has kept the Cats in the playoff hunt. Despite a 7-12 overall record, the Cats are 5-5 in league play which puts them in fourth place and trail second place by a half game.
Only one home and home series remains on the schedule for the Cats which begins on Apr. 17 at home against Westchester before the season ends with one game sets against every league opponent. If the Cats can continue their recent run, in which they have outscored the LACES Unicorns and Hamilton Yankees 17-5 over the last three games, and snatch second place from the hands of the Gondoliers and Fairfax Lions (who are tied for second at 4-3) then all of their early season struggles will be forgiven.