Irvington Baseball held its annual senior night on Wednesday, May 13, during a game against Washington. The ceremony started promptly at 3:30 pm with the seniors inside the dugout and underclassmen lining up outside to cheer them on.

Coach Sean Caples announced each of the six senior’s names and shared short speeches about their future plans and their favorite part about baseball. They then received personalized stoles with their name and were escorted onto the field by their family and friends while teammates held posters and cheered from the sidelines. The ceremony lasted around fifteen minutes before the players began warming up for the game. 

The game began at 4:17 pm following the national anthem. Irvington’s pitcher, Santiago Parks (12), secured the game by striking out Washington’s first batter in the first inning. Catcher Zohaib Shah (11) also threw out one of Washington’s fastest runners to prevent a scoring opportunity. 

Irvington defeated the previously undefeated Huskies 1-0 across 7 innings in a close game. Pitcher Anish Shankar (11) said that scoring the first run early in the game was monumental as it shifted the momentum in Irvington’s favor.

Although the team struggled earlier in the season, players said they gradually improved by building stronger chemistry with one another. Head Coach Frank Durand, who has spent the last 12 years coaching at Irvington, mentions that one of the team’s biggest strengths this season has been their pitching. He also highlights their hard work and dedication as well as their positive attitude even during losses.

To end off their night and celebrate their win, the entire team went to Wingstop as a part of their constant team bonding. Seniors Brayden Kubiak (12) and Michael Nunez (12) further emphasized the team’s bond and shared how they grew up playing with everyone on the team for almost over 10 years now. Kubiak even mentioned how he considered the team to be his new family.