Story by Aiden Eisel, Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of Cypress Chargers Athletics
The baseball team is off to a strong start this season, riding a six-game winning streak and boasting a 7-1 record.
According to head coach Anthony Hutting, the team is aiming to improve last season’s record of 23-18-1, which included a 9-12 conference record. The team was swept by Los Angeles Valley in the first round of the playoffs due to poor pitching and defensive mistakes.
Their offense has been clicking, with a .349 team batting average and a .571 slugging percentage. They’ve scored double-digit runs in all but three of their games so far. Infielder Justin Tillar has gotten off to a strong start offensively, bashing seven home runs in eight games so far.
Hutting said he’s been impressed with the team’s offensive approach in the season so far, he added, “We still want to improve on all three facets of the game […] pitching, hitting, and defense.” Hutting also expressed that it’s important to give the first-year players more experience and time to get acclimated to the culture of the program.
He stated that playing in the toughest conference in California, The Orange Empire Conference is one of the biggest obstacles the team will face, “The OEC is tough, the 21 games you play against the teams in the conference prepares you for the type of competition you’ll see in the playoffs.” Hutting said he wants the team to be prepared and come to play every day.
As for the goals of the season, Hutting said he wants the team to compete in the OEC and make a deep playoff run, “[I want us to] improve on many levels.” Hutting feels that this year’s team improved on both the offensive and defensive aspects of the game, noting “Our pitchers are throwing more strikes, and our defense, especially on the infield has been much better.”
The team will look to continue swinging the bats well, as they travel to Long Beach City on Friday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. before playing a two-game series against Glendale; Tuesday, Feb. 18 on the road at 2 p.m. before hosting them on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m.
To find out more information on the team’s schedule and stats, visit the Cypress College Athletics website.
