Just before Spring Break, the Jesuit Ranger Baseball team traveled to the big leagues, playing at Ranger’s Stadium, aka Globe Life Park. This is something that the team hasn’t done for three years. The game proved to be a great experience for all of the players on the team. For junior Darius Hill ’15, it was “a surreal experience just to be playing on the field where I had been watching and going to games all of my childhood” and that playing there was “a dream come true.” With the team on such a big stage, one might anticipate that nerves might play a role in the game, but Harrison Folk 15’ remarked that “the Ballpark was not as nerve-racking as [he] anticipated” and speculated that it might have “made [him] less nervous because everything was so perfect,” which could be seen through him pitching a perfect 2nd innings with a strike out. During the game, everyone on the team got a chance to play and revel in playing on a pro field.
With a turn-out of about two hundred fans, the Rangers triumphed over Byron Nelson 9-7, increasing their winning streak to eight. Some notable performances in the game were from Kyle Muller ’16, leading the team in RBIs with a total of three, Darius Hill with two more runs batted in addition to scoring two himself, and Grant Reuben ’15 with a run-scoring double. As previously mentioned, Harrison Folk pitched exceptionally in the second inning, and Luke Gibbons ’14 managed 5 Ks in 2 innings. The nerves were obviously not a problem for the team overall, as the Rangers scored four runs in the first and an additional three in the second.
Coach Jones summed up the game perfectly saying “[the game] is always a fun opportunity and fun atmosphere for everybody,” as evident through the Ranger’s success in the event. Hopefully the team will be able to continue to play at Globe Life Park on a regular basis and use the game there as inspiration in future games. Optimistically, the Ranger baseball team will continue their streak of wins. Don’t forget to go and support your Rangers when they play!