By Aden Sievert<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hood\u2019s baseball team looks to improve once again this spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2023, the team increased its total wins by six games, jumping to a record of 18 wins and 20 losses on the season after going 12-27 in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year, head coach Michael Impellittiere brought in six first-year athletes and has 33 athletes returning to his squad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the fall, the team practiced two days a week and was in the weight room with the strength and conditioning staff three times a week.
Impellittiere said the team handled the preseason well and the emphasis was on bringing the younger players up to speed and building a good team culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen we practice, we do a lot of things that are based on challenging you to fail and we feel like doing things that test you in that way makes it easier to not end up failing in the game,\u201d sophomore Quade Gannon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think practice is a very competitive environment and that always gives good results,\u201d first-year Easton Kite said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This season, the team will face four schools that no other Hood baseball team has competed against before: Elmira College, Ursinus College, University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg and Immaculata University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe goal is to face better competition to enhance the performance of the team,\u201d Impellittiere said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cImmaculata is a very solid club, so that\u2019ll be a fun game,\u201d Gannon added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The team has both short- and long-term goals over the stretch of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They want to improve daily and focus on the micro-level progression, which will allow the team to reach its long-term goal of evolving into a competitive playoff team by May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m very excited to not only see what my own role is but to see us succeed as a family,\u201d Kite said. \u201cI think we\u2019re going to do really good. I think we\u2019re going to make it to the playoffs and go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Impellittiere said he is very enthusiastic about this year\u2019s team and looks for the athletes to exhibit outstanding character, academic achievements and community involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe culture on the team this year is different than last year, in a good way, and it seems like it\u2019s only going to get better,\u201d Gannon said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"