The Benet Academy varsity baseball team has already shaken off any worries of another slow start this season. The varsity squad kicked off the year by picking up a couple of wins on a recent trip downstate to the southern Illinois and St. Louis area. After knocking off Triad High School, the Redwings dropped a close one in extra innings to Moline but recovered quickly by dominating Oak Park-River Forest. The Huskies were ranked sixteenth in the state at the time of the game, solidifying the victory as a statement win for the Redwings.

Coach Scott Lawler called the team road trip “a good bonding experience that allowed the players to spend some time together outside of school”. Good team chemistry is one of the things Coach Lawler mentioned as a key that will allow this team to compete at the top of the conference. Luckily for the Redwings, there are plenty of natural leaders guiding the squad.

“We have high expectations for these guys….” Coach Lawler told the Benet Herald. “We have a lot seniors playing who are good, captain-type guys.”

Seniors like Dolan Glasgow, Aaron Staehely, and Mike Wymer have stepped in to play major roles on Benet’s roster. Glasgow is committed to play college baseball across the street at Benedictine University next year, while Staehely will be playing for Iowa Western Community College, one of the top junior college programs in the nation. All are expected to play important roles with Glasgow spending most of his time in the middle of the infield, primarily at second base. Staehely and Wymer will station themselves in the outfield.

The Redwings are a deep team this year, but Coach Lawler will have some extra help making important lineup decisions. Bob Gelwicks will be sharing head coaching duties with Coach Lawler. Gelwicks previously served as Benet’s bench coach and has been around the program for over a decade. Currently sitting at a record of 6-4, Benet has been playing with confidence thus far, and it is a goal of theirs to carry this confidence throughout the course of the season.

“We think we can go deep (in the playoffs) and finish at the top of our conference with the depth and with the talent we have around the diamond.” Coach Lawler said.