Captains of the Week: Baseball and Softball
Softball captains: from left, uppers Haley Alden and Caroline Ciaschini and seniors Claire McConnell and Kaitlin Clark pose for a photo.
Owen Dudley / The Exonian
By EMI LEVINE and LEO ZHANG
As spring arrives, the baseball and softball teams hit the season running, already capturing impressive wins. Baseball captains Andrew Houghton and Gabriel Marcoux and softball captains Kaitlin Clark, Claire McConnell, Caroline Ciaschini, and Haley Alden have led both teams to impressive victories throughout the first couple weeks of the season.
The varsity baseball team has had a near-perfect season so far, playing six games and winning five of them. They first traveled to Tabor Academy and won 11-10. Then they crushed Kimball Union Academy on their home turf 13-0. Next, they earned the 2-0 and 12-10 victories against Dexter School and Berwick Academy, respectively. Despite their massive winning streak, the baseball team suffered their first loss against Austin Prep with a final score of 4-2. However, they quickly bounced back when they played New Hampton School, beating them 7-6.
“Each day, we’re connecting a little bit better, trusting each other a little bit more, and having a lot more fun.”
The varsity softball team has also had an amazing run in the first couple of games of the season. They have won two out of three games so far. Their first game of the season was at home against Tilton School, where they lost 5-1. Despite this, they found their rhythm and won their next two games against Pingree School and New Hampton School, with final scores of 6-1 and 7-1, respectively.
Senior and captain Kaitlin Clark explained why she wanted to become captain. “I love softball. I love playing it, watching it, and teaching it, but most of all, I love the girls on the team. I’ve never claimed to be the best player on the field, but I am always having the most fun, and I want to ensure that my teammates feel the enjoyment of the sport, at least as much, if not more, than their desire to win games, though I do hoping to finish higher than that this year and be a competitive team in the Big East tournament,” she said.
“I mean, they’re both really great guys outside of the team, and I’m sure plenty of people will attest to that. They reflect that in their conduct during practices and during games.”
Upper and captain Caroline Ciaschini also shared her favorite part of being captain. “My favorite thing so far has been watching our improvement. We have a pretty young team, so it’s been great to see everyone find their place on the team and figure out how we work together well. We have come a long way from our first game during the preseason trip,” she said.
Clark also touched on the young aspect of the team. “We have a whole lot of young talent on this team, and I can’t wait to see them conquer in a few years. We have a couple of strong upperclassmen as well in captains Caroline, Claire, and Haley who are leading our pitching with ferocity,” she said.
Reflecting on their first couple of games, Ciaschini felt optimistic about the rest of the season. “We’ve only had three games, but we’re looking pretty good so far. We’ve been able to string together hits for rallies late in games, and have had overall great energy for these first few weeks. We ended .500 for the season last year, so we’re
“Our first two wins have definitely been highlights this season. In our most recent game against New Hampton, we were tied late into the game, but managed to put up a 6-run 6th inning. Natalie started the inning off by reaching first on a walk, and Paige kept it going with a hit up the middle. We were able to keep that rally going with two outs late in the game, stringing together hits to put six runs up. It was a great win,” Ciaschini added.
Clark also spoke on the team’s sense of community and trust. “We had the opportunity to travel to Florida for preseason training, and I think that was a super important bonding experience for so many people who had never played together before. Each day, we’re connecting a little bit better, trusting each other a little bit more, and having a lot more fun,” she said.
“There has been more energy in the dugout this year, in just the two games we’ve played in the regular season, than I have ever witnessed playing at Exeter. I want to keep this rolling throughout the season,” Clark added.
This sense of leadership on the softball team also extends to the baseball team. Lower Casper Bailey shared his thoughts on the baseball captains this year: “They’re leaders. Every day they’re leading stretches, they’re rallying the team, and they create a fun and easygoing environment on a team. So I really enjoy that.”
Bailey explained why the captains are so effective in their roles. “I’d say experience and, you know, just natural possession of leadership roles. I mean, they’re both really great guys outside of the team, and I’m sure plenty of people will attest to that. They reflect that in their conduct during practices and during games. I mean, they’re great guys on and off the field and that’s all you really need to be able to fill the role effectively,” he said.
Lower Jack Doherty further explained the captains’ leadership. “I feel like they take charge in practices. Usually, Andrew leads the stretches, and that’s a leadership role he takes off on. Gabe is the catcher, so he has a leadership role of directing, where things have to go, talking to the players, and having to have good communication with everyone else. So I feel like communication is part of why Gabe and Andrew are good leaders.”
Boys baseball in action. Courtesy of @exeterathletics
“They always are doing their part. It’s not like they’re making the freshmen go do something. They’re always grabbing the balls. They’re always helping you like that. So they really are members of the team.”
He continued with an anecdote about Andrew’s exceptional leadership. “I knew this one kid who was pitching and after Andrew gave him a few tips, he started to throw a little bit faster even. Overall they’re both great players. I feel like their roles as a captain have definitely been earned, and they definitely shoot for being a captain.”
Ben Martin shared similar notions on the captains. “They’re both really good guys. They’re really good about being players, being leaders, and they’re really good about knowing what the team needs. They’re always there on the field, giving high fives after every inning. They really are a good semblance of the team and they really represent the team well,” he said.
“I want everyone to enjoy what they’re doing and not take themselves or this sport too seriously, as well as supporting each other and supporting other teams on campus whenever possible.”
While being capable leaders, something that makes the baseball captains so great is that they also feel like regular members of the team. Martin touched on this, saying, “I just think that they act well. Their leadership is through acting like members of the team. They always are doing their part. It’s not like they’re making the freshmen go do something. They’re always grabbing the balls. They’re always helping you like that. So they really are members of the team.”
According to Bailey, another thing that makes the captains so great is their consistency: “It is really the consistency that makes them what they are. I mean, every day in practice they’re there early and every day they lead lines and they crack a couple of jokes and they keep things light. So I wouldn’t say I have any specific stories at this point in the season that are particularly notable, but I would say just the thing that sticks out when I think about the captains this year is the consistency.”
Martin also noted that the small size of the baseball team facilitates community building. “With baseball, you get such a smaller team, right? So you get all sorts of moments. It’s a small team, so every moment on the field is fun. It’s really a fun sport. The captains are always there and we’re always having a good time,” he said.
Looking at the team overall, Bailey had high hopes for the season. “The team’s looking good. As of right now, I believe we are five and one.”
Doherty believes that the team looks sharp for the season. “We have plenty of other pitching, so our bullpens very much stretch everything. Our hitting is good too, like we can hit the ball and get around the bases. So I feel like this year is gonna be a good year and it’s gonna be looking good for the rest of the season.”
Martin also outlined the team’s goals for the rest of the season. “As of right now, we’re doing well. We just came off of two rough games against Worcester, but we have very good pitching. Beau and Andrew are both very good pitchers and our hitting looks good. We want to make it pretty deep in the playoffs at the end of the year and obviously, we want to beat Andover. Overall I think we’re looking good as a team and I think we’re on the right track,” he said.
Bailey also spoke of a particular moment from one of the games that represent the team environment well. “So one of the guys on the team, Harry Walker, he’s a swing player and he came up, about a week ago, to the varsity roster. The captains immediately put him in and this guy comes out and he pitches effectively. I think that just speaks to the team environment this year in the sense that it’s the next man up. Everyone’s ready to play. Everyone’s excited about the opportunity to play, and the team is excited about playing ball. That’s what makes the team special this year,” he said.
Clark also shared this excitement on the softball team. She concluded with her goals for the upcoming weeks: “My goals for the season actually have little to do with our athletic success. I want everyone to enjoy what they’re doing and not take themselves or this sport too seriously, as well as supporting each other and supporting other teams on campus whenever possible.”
