Midd-West baseball is all business in 2023

BY JOSH YODER Sports reporter jyoder@lewistownsentinel.com

MIDDLEBURG — MiddWest is making it a mission to make a splash in the playoffs in the upcoming 2023 baseball season. Scott Wright remains at the helm of the baseball program and will be joined by Justin Yoder, Mike Wolfley and Jake Sheaffer.

After a long delay, Wright and the Mustangs are ready to get right back to work and get the season underway.

“We are very excited,” Wright said. “The boys are ready to get on the field.”

There is a much different vibe surrounding the team this season and that is a working man’s mentality as Midd-West have a sole purpose of making its presence felt throughout the season and beyond. Coach Wright is pleased to see his team with a whole new mindset.

“Maturity,” Wright said. “After last year’s early exit in districts. They have been working their tails off.”

The Mustangs will be bringing back a lot of familiar faces in 2023 like Easton Erb, who was one of the top hitters in the lineup a season ago. Also coming back will be Caden Wolfley who led the team in batting average. Wolfley will also be a major part of the pitching rotation as well, along with Griffin Paige who was the top pitcher for the Mustangs a season ago. In some cases the team may be young, but Wright doesn’t believe it will cause problems and his team will be focused throughout the season.

“We are never going to use being a young team as an excuse,” Wright said.

But despite having plenty of bats returning to the plate this season along with some solid arms in the pitching rotation.

Wright believes if his team doesn’t do this one thing right, their hopes for a deep playoff could be in jeopardy.

“We need to play defense,” Wright noted.

Though the Mustangs are coming into the year with an all business mentality. They will not underestimate any of their opponents and will take one game at a time. Especially, since they’re going against teams like returning district champion Central Columbia and Loyalsock, just to name a few.

“Our schedule is loaded this year,” Wright said. “We will have to take it one game at a time.”

But Wright doesn’t want the tough schedule to keep Midd-West from becoming more than a team. But more like a family that works together and is there for one another.

“We want to grow as a team,” Wright said.

This goal is very important to Wright because he wants his players to learn the valuable lessons of life through baseball and that these kids can apply lessons they will learn throughout the season to everyday life once their baseball season ends and going out into the world.

“Teamwork and that this is also preparing you for the future in that we have to show up and work hard everyday to get to where we want to be,” Wright said.