Millbrook baseball is in the midst of yet another solid season. At 12-7, the team finished second in the Cap-8.  They are very well rounded, with good hitters at nearly every position. Center fielder Tyler Snead leads the team in batting average with an astounding .469, nearly .200 above the national average. Team-home-run-leader Greg Strickland comes close, batting at .408, making the juniors the lone two batting above .400 for Millbrook. This year’s squad relies much more heavily on their younger players. Three sophomores are called upon to play significant innings as opposed to the senior-heavy lineup of last season’s team. Sophomore Justin Wilcoxen has played a large role in the youth movement. Starting the season with JV, he was quickly moved up to varsity. As the team’s designated hitter, he is playing a very large role for an underclassmen. Brian Pearce and Seth Werner round out the sophomore trio as both have made solid contributions on the pitcher’s mound.

Millbrook has played phenomenally considering the adversity they have faced. Junior Will Gamble said, “Heading into the season, we had one of the toughest schedules in the state, but throughout we have proved we can beat anybody. We’ve had some setbacks battling injuries, but now that most of us are healthy, we are back on track.” A midseason loss to Southwest Guilford proved the challenges of their schedule. The tenth ranked team in the state scored a run in every inning, though only bested Millbrook 7-2. Though the team did not come out on top, it provided a phenomenal learning experience to how well they must perform against top-tier opponents. This team has a much smaller margin of error than most. They must consistently throw strikes, play solid defense, and make timely hits in order to come out on top on a nightly basis. If any of the three areas falter, the squad is in trouble. Regardless, this is one of Millbrook’s most talented and promising teams in years.

Millbrook expects to make a lot of noise in the playoffs. Everyone wants to win-and bad. Coach Austin James said, “This year’s team has been a ton of fun to coach. They have great energy, like being around each other, and are excited and dynamic on the field. Hopefully we can end the season strong and give these guys some lasting memories.” Each and every senior plans to make a strong impact in the playoffs; Cal Teachy, Dennis Delgado, Cole Leneschmidt, and Dominic Rodts are just a few. No matter what happens in May, this team is sure to excite and surprise everyone. A deep playoff run is almost unquestionably in store.