On varsity baseball, an influx of new, young players is not only propelling the team to a better future but is creating a new dynamic in the clubhouse.

A third of the Bulldogs starting nine is made up of underclassmen, including starting left fielder, freshman Michael Janis, starting first baseman, freshman Ben Nardi and starting third baseman, sophomore Jordan Freeman. This is an unprecedented number for a varsity team and bodes well for the years to come.

“CHS baseball is positioned for a great future, and I feel very confident in saying that,” Freeman said. “Even though we are off to a slow start, we are improving every game and starting to move to an easier part of our schedule.”

The youth movement will also have a major role in the present; the underclassmen are an integral ingredient in baseball’s recipe for success.

“Some of the underclassmen have become our most productive players,” senior captain Jacob Storch said.

“As a captain I couldn’t ask for anything more out of them.”

According to the Maxpreps website, which collects stats for high school sports games, in CHS’s 8-6 loss to Walter Johnson, the trio of Nardi, Janis and Freeman combined for half of the team’s RBIs and helped to make the game a close contest.

While some may be surprised to see such an immediate contribution from underclassmen, the transition to varsity has been eased by the previous leadership experience of its underclassmen including Janis, who was a JV football captain and Freeman, who was a JV basketball captain.

“I tell the freshman on the team, ‘You know how to play,’” Freeman said. “They need to know they were put on the team for a reason and they have already earned their spot and they have nothing to worry about.”

With such a willingness by underclassmen like Freeman to take on a leadership role in the clubhouse, the team is not just ready to make a push for the playoffs this year, but also in the years going forward.

“Even though there is some pressure on us and everyone else, our future is definitely bright and we are constantly improving,” Janis said.

With a great future in sight, the team does not look at this year as a bridge to the future, but rather an opportunity to win it all.

“Failure is not an option for us; we work hard every day to make that a reality,” Storch said. “I believe in every single one of us, and I’m looking forward to proving ourselves in the future.”