On April 23, the Midtown baseball team’s playoff run ended in a loss against Cedartown, eliminating them. This left the team with a 11-3 region record and a 15-10 record overall. For the first time in more than a decade, Midtown hosted a playoff game, and the Knights felt like this year built something sustainable for years to come.
Pitcher junior Sam Dempsey thinks this season was very important for the team, especially because they were finally able to make it to the playoffs.
“It meant a lot to us,” Dempsey said. “The team and I were really proud and happy to finally see our hard work pay off.”
Hosting a postseason game was a milestone the Knight has been working towards for a while now.
“This playoff run was our first time hosting a playoff game in a long time,” Dempsey said. “As well as the first playoff game we’ve won in 15 years.”
Even the short drive to their first round matchup felt special to the team. Dempsey explains it made a impact on the team to be able to enter the playoffs on a field they are comfortable on.
“Having the playoffs be a home game really made a difference,” Dempsey said. “Being able to go 10 minutes down the road to play in the playoffs is a big deal for us.”
Head coach Vic Radcliff says that the team’s growth was the foundation of everything they were able to accomplish this season, and that there egarness to get better each practice.
“The group was always willing to learn and improve,” Radcliff said. “There’s a growing level of resilience and a willingness to be coached. As players continue to take ownership of their development and understand what’s required to be consistent, that will continue to be a strength that pushes the program forward.”
The team was tested early on. Injuries forced the Knights to rely on younger players throughout the season sooner than expected.
“There were a couple of injuries that really set our team back,” Dempsey said. “We worked through it by calling people up from JV and getting them a lot of work to get them prepared to take on some bigger roles.”
Radcliff explains that those moments were what really helped to shape the team’s identity during the season.
“This group began to understand the importance of roles, preparation and responding to challenges,” Radcliff said. “We’ve had players step into situations they may not have been fully prepared for at the beginning of the season, and they’ve grown through those experiences.”
Third baseman junior Nick Trescitta believes that the team’s ability to rely on one another was what kept the team as competitive as possible.
I think the team pitching gave us a great opportunity to win,” Trescitta said. “Then the bats were able to follow in big moments. We were able to slowly build up confidence over the weeks leading into the Pace matchup, then winning that huge game really gave us momentum”
Trescitta said the Knight’s team dynamics this year helped carry them through tough stretches
“We have built much more chemistry as a team since the start of the season,” Trescitta said. “The development of a culture was huge in the season turnaround. The team captains have been huge in motivating the team, and keeping us focused on the games at hand.”
While Radcliff agrees that the team dynamics assisted in their playoff run, he believes that their consistency remained their biggest challenge throughout the season.
“One of the biggest challenges has been developing consistency, both in performance and in daily preparation,” Radcliff said. “It’s been a process of raising standards and helping players meet them consistently.”
Even with the season ending earlier than they hoped, the Knights believe they were able to build something that will last.
“At the start of the season, our goals were centered around development, accountability and learning how to compete the right way,” Radcliff said. “Growth doesn’t happen overnight, but we’ve taken steps in the right direction, and that’s what matters most at this stage.”
Treschitta echoed this sentiment and thinks that the team will wind up even better next season because of all the work they put into the team this year.
“Knowing that we are capable of hosting and winning playoff games, and that next year we will be back with an opportunity to do even better,” Trescitta said. “It was just a huge moment, knowing the team pulled off something we haven’t in years was truly awesome and an amazing experience.”
