A Home Run Season for the Endicott Baseball Team
The spring season was nothing short of historic for Endicott’s baseball team. The Gulls worked together to achieve monumental feats, gathering the most wins in program history (45) in one season while picking up the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship and a first-ever Super Regional Championship.
In early June, the Gulls then traveled to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III College World Series, where the team fell to Misericordia and concluded a record-breaking season.
We sat down with first baseman Jake Nardone ’23 and Head Coach Bryan Haley to get their reflections on the season and milestone College World Series appearance.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
What did you take away from this experience? How was it different than years past?
JN: This past year has been amazing. The season is a grind and the experiences we go through we will be able to take with us for the rest of our lives. This year was different because we knew how good we were and we knew that the College World Series would be our goal. We had all the confidence in the world, no matter what situation we were put into.
Did you face any challenges during this season? How did you address or combat them?
BH: When working with a large group of young men over the course of a year, there are always various challenges going on, both on the field and in their lives off of the field. The key is communication and establishing a plan to handle the adversity when it inevitably arrives.
What mantras or strategies did you use throughout the season that helped you along the way?
JN: One mantra our entire team used this season was “green lights.” This mantra was so important to us and is posted in our dugout for us to see before we go onto the field. To our team, green lights mean just keep moving forward. Baseball is a game of ups and downs, and it is important for us to keep pushing forward and believing in ourselves.
What are some of the most memorable moments from this season?
BH: The three dogpiles (CCC Tourney, Regional Tourney, and Super Regional) and celebrations on the field afterward. The trip to Iowa for the World Series and our spring trip to California in March were very memorable as well.
What did it mean to you to go to the College World Series?
JN: Our team has come a long way since my freshman year, and it was an amazing ride. We are such a tight-knit group that showing up to the field every day was enjoyable for everyone. It made it so easy for us to put the team first and play for each other.
BH: Winning our first Super Regional and advancing to the D3 World Series was a historic moment for the program. It was incredibly special for all of us involved. I hope that the confidence gained from reaching such a lofty goal as a group will stay with all of us as we move forward to take on many more new challenges ahead in our lives.
How did it feel to know that you have finished your education (so far) at the College, but still were able to play with your fellow teammates?
JN: It was so much fun continuing to play after graduating. At the beginning of the season, we talked about wanting to spend as much time as possible with each other, and by going to the College World Series we achieved that. I was motivated to win because I didn’t want the season to end. I knew that we had players on our team who were never going to play competitive sports ever again, and we wanted to do everything in our power to win as many games as possible.
