On Friday, March 7, Irvington’s Varsity baseball team faced off against the Castro Valley Trojans, resulting in a disappointing loss. 

The game started shaky as the Trojans got off to an early lead stealing multiple bases. However, the Vikings quickly bounced back and had a crucial hit with the bases loaded to tie the game up 1-1. Following this, Castro Valley’s pitcher threw 4 balls, resulting in the Vikings scoring another point and leading 2-1.

Unfortunately, the game started slipping from Irvington’s hands as Castro Valley started gaining momentum. Castro Valley quickly scored 9 runs and after multiple innings with no runs from either team, Irvington was finally able to score 2 more runs. Despite this, the Trojans maintained the pressure and their lead, winning the game with a score of 14-4.

Throughout the game, the Irvington players stayed optimistic as they continued cheering on their teammates and stayed vocal. 

While disappointed in the outcome, Irvington remains positive. Brayden Jaksa (12), a veteran of the team, was impressed with how the team persevered throughout the difficult weather conditions and continued fighting in the game even when decisively losing.

Head Coach Frank Durand, commented as well, mentioning how multiple players were out, so they had to adjust and fill positions with players who aren’t normally there. 

Looking forward, Coach Durand and Jaksa share the vision of making the playoffs and while the Vikings haven’t had the start they hoped to have, they have still seen some promising performances such as their win against San Ramon Valley, a highly ranked team.