Senior Jackson Smith poses on senior night Tuesday. The Cardinals took down Louisburg 5-4.
Seniors on the baseball team said they were fueled by their desire to fight through adversity as a family as the Cardinals claimed a senior night win over Louisburg 5-4 Tuesday night.
Six seniors were recognized between the two games of the doubleheader: Braydon Gardner, Caden Stedry, Braeden VanDonge, Cooper Born, Jake Arnold and Jackson Smith.
“It means a lot,” Arnold said. “We all have a lot of chemistry together, and we’re all like family and brothers.”
The Cardinals fell behind 4-0 early, but kept battling, bolstered by strong hitting from the top of the lineup and lockdown pitching to secure the 5-4 win.
“A lot of things came together that second game,” VanDonge said. “You know, there was some tension, a lot, in that first game, but we all set aside our differences and we played together as family.”
Gardner said the team had worked through ups and downs to reach where it is today.
He said many of the players had been teammates since Little League.
“I mean, we’ve all been together for a while now,” he said. “We’ve had a couple ups and downs through each season, but we’ve fought through it.”
Smith said it was fun to know many of the players had been together long before high school, and were now seeing their high school careers wrap up side by side.
“Just being able to grow up with each other, see each other grow as baseball players, it’s just good to see, and to see what the future holds,” Smith said.
Stedry said he was excited to see what the team could continue to prove as their final season progressed.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “I’m hoping the streak continues later on the road — and into regionals, too.”
Reach reporter Cuyler Dunn at [email protected]