Despite coming off a losing season, Kean baseball confident they can return to winning ways

While he doesn’t make excuses for the losing season, injuries were part of the reason for it. This season, with the injured players back and new pitchers ready to roll, the players are motivated and ready to get back to the game.

This season, the coaches are putting extra focus on the players and keeping them healthy. They do not want any new or recurring injuries popping up.

Pitcher Justin Diefenbach #27. Photo Courtesy of Larry Levanti.

When it comes to motivating the players, Ioviero’s belief is to not “pick and choose what’s important, everything is.”

When the Cougars lose, Ioviero feels they did the best they could, claiming “there’s a way to win a game.”

Ioviero realizes that one pitch could throw the whole game off at times since baseball is a domino effect sometimes caused by routine errors. Although they want to be in every game to win, Ioviero tries to teach the team about work ethic and team skills during practice.

The players describe practice as a learning experience. A lot of focus goes into each practice making them very effective.

Practices may be long and intense, but as pitcher Tyler Hopman says, “it’s all worth something and means something.”

Pitcher Tyler Hopman #43. Photo Courtesy of Larry Levanti.

Along with Hopman, fellow pitchers Christopher Rossi and Frank LoGiudice are looking forward to the upcoming season as well.

When discussing his coaching staff, Rossi had nothing but glowing things to say about them.

“They don’t look at it as a job, it’s what they love to do,” Rossi said. “They’re very effective at personalizing and really focus on each person.”

Rossi feels that the coaches are all on the same page and knows what has to get done.

“They can figure out how to win a game with plays the other team never heard of by playing the game within the game” LoGuidice said.

Kean’s baseball season begins on Feb. 15 when they take on Drew University at 2:30 p.m.