[ot-caption title=”The team comes together following a walk off single by Senior Ravi Bakhai, earlier in the season. With an 11-6-1 record, the Panthers are hoping for a top seed in the upcoming district tournament. (Via Catherine Walker)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/pc-baseball-e1427674853502.jpg”]

Practicing and training five days a week has led the Pine Crest Varsity Baseball Team to numerous victories against difficult opponents throughout the spring season. The season has been successful so far, yet no season is complete without a triumphant postseason when the district championship is up for grabs. Our PC Baseball Team excitedly awaits the chance to win this year’s upcoming district tournament, which will take place after spring break.

The six incredibly talented seniors: Zack Kone, Griffin Conine, Adam Saks, Tom Walker, Ravi Bakhai and Ben Fiedler all want nothing more than to fulfill the squad’s goal of winning Districts during their final season. Five-year varsity member and Duke University commit, Zack Kone, stated, “I think we have a very good chance of competing for the district championship given our very good pitching staff, solid all around lineup, and great team camaraderie.”

To prepare for the tournament, the boys plan on practicing during spring break. The team is determined to put in the work it takes to achieve their desired results. Senior pitcher, Tom Walker, who will be attending Clemson University next year, spoke about the team’s effort: “We’ve been working really hard at practice and are extremely eager to play. It’s been a fun season and we plan to finish strong.”

All of the boys have been playing extremely well throughout the entire season. Their solid hitting and consistent fielding has given them a respectable winning record of 11-6-1.

Our Panthers are doing so well that they are even leading the county in several offensive categories. Two of the four team captains, Zack Kone and Griffin Conine, are leading Broward County in home runs (seven each) and RBIs (twenty-one each). Kone also holds the third highest batting average (.508) and doubles (ten) in the county. Also, Junior pitcher and Alabama commit, Garret Rukes, is in the Broward County top ten for his forty-three strikeouts this season. These standings make our boys a feared team entering Districts.

Since our Panthers have been playing so well, they are expecting a high seed in the District tournament. Starting second baseman, Charlie Luciano, told me his expectations, “Hopefully, we can get the one or two seed going into the district tournament so we get a bye in the first round. With that bye I really like our chances in the tournament this year.”

Also, the Panthers have been led by new head coach, Coach Wayne Stofsky. His enthusiastic spirit for Panther baseball and passion for the game has propelled the boys throughout the season. The first year coach gave his outlook on the team. “Our team is playing its best baseball of the season. And best of all, we’re doing it at the right time as we enter the home stretch of the district schedule and the district playoffs. We just came off a stretch where we went head to head with some of the best teams in the state and our guys showed that they belong with the elite teams in the area. I am proud of everything we’ve done to this point and I am very excited about the rest of the 2015 campaign.”

No matter how far the Varsity Panthers go, they have played exceptionally well this season. Go Panthers!