The seniors walk off into the spring sunset

Baseball and Softball’s seniors reflect on their time with the Pioneers and their future plans

By Peter Melling /// Sports Editor

The curtain has fallen on the 2016 season for Pioneer Baseball and Softball. They played their last series this past weekend, wrapping up long campaigns for both teams. Following their final series of games, the seven Baseball and two Softball seniors of the took time to reflect on their memories of playing at LC, their future plans, and what they hope to leave for future Pios.

Pioneer Log: What is your fondest memory from your years on LC Baseball/Softball?

Aaron Landecker ’16: My favorite memory would be winning our fall intersquad competitions four years in a row.

Blake Howell ’16: Nothing beats all the road trips and the memories that were created on those trips, but my favorite baseball memory is beating Linfield this year in game one of the series.

Bradley Lezak ’16: Chris getting game winning hit and Troop throwing complete game win on senior day would be my favorite memories.

Carter Bagley ’16: Winning our senior day game against Pacific Lutheran University.  It was the most fun game of my LC career and the way we competed as team was a culmination of everything we had been working for over the last four years.

Christian Macdonald ’16: My fondest memory from LC baseball was when we took a 24-hour bus drive to Tucson and on the way back the bus broke down and we were stuck at a gas station in the middle of Nevada for nearly 17 hours. We passed the time by playing a lot of wiffle ball.

Hannah Dal Pra ’16: I know it won’t be the the hits, the wins, and the actual softball I will remember 10 years from now. But I know I will remember my passion and love for the game. I will remember my teammates and the amazing friendships I’ve made. I will remember the competitiveness, comradery , and the energy that comes with the game. Those are my fondest memories of LC Softball.

John Trupin ’16: My favorite memory would be getting the complete game win on senior day this year.

PL: What do you hope to leave behind?

AL: I want to leave behind a culture of perseverance and hardwork.

BH: I hope to leave behind a mentality of never giving up no matter what obstacle stands in your path on and off the field and never settling for what others believe you are.

BL: I hope to leave behind a tradition of hard work and determination to succeed.

CB: I hope to leave behind the culture and level of competitiveness of LC Baseball that we have worked hard to erect.

CM: I hope to leave behind a strong culture of hard work, perseverance, determination, and brotherhood.

HDP: I hope to leave behind a better and more cohesive team. Haley, Jill, and I wanted to leave the program as seniors better than we found it when we joined as freshman.

JT: I want to leave behind a group of players with a belief in the program, Coach Flynn, and one another.

PL: Who is your favorite MLB player/team?

AL: My favorite baseball player is my brother Adam Landecker, who played in the Pittsburgh Pirates Organization for a few years.

BH: My favorite player is Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. My favorite team is the Tijuana Toros, they’re not an MLB team, but they are a great professional organization!

BL: My favorite team is the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Yasiel Puig is my favorite player.

CB: My favorite team is the Boston Red Sox, and my favorite player is Brock Holt.

CM: My favorite MLB team is the Milwaukee Brewers, and favorite player is Jonathon Lucroy.

JT: My favorite player is Felix Hernandez. My favorite team would be the Seattle Mariners, my hometown team.

PL: What advice would you give future LC Baseball/Softball players?

AL: My advice would be: don’t have any regrets. Leave it all on the field.

BH: Enjoy these times because it goes by faster than you think. Have no regrets and do that by leaving everything on the field every time you take the field. Lastly, remember why you play the game because it is easy to get lost in the business side of baseball and lose the fun of the game.

BL: My piece of advice is to enjoy the process, not put too much pressure on yourselves and to take it all in because it doesn’t last forever.

CB: Believe in yourself, in coach, and in the team.  The pieces are in place to be a great team, you just have to believe in the process and compete your ass off every day. Be sure to enjoy each and every moment because it’s over in a blink.

CM: The advice I would give to future LC baseball players would be to believe in the great team that we are trying to build here at LC.

HDP: I know it sounds cheesy and everyone says this, but enjoy every minute you have on the field. I’m going to miss it more than I can put into words.

JT: Don’t be satisfied with being best team at LC in 20 years. Keep pushing one another to be better.

PL: What are your post-grad plans?

AL: I hope to continue to be around the game I love, by becoming a coach on some level.

BH: I will be attending Law School next fall, but I have not decided on which school yet.

BL: Hopefully work at the NIH or OHSU while I apply to medical school.

CB: I will be working at Northlake Physical Therapy as a PT aide. I will be studying for the MCAT, which I will take in September.

CM: After graduation I plan to move to Redondo Beach, California, where I will be working at Northrop Grumman. I will also be planning to get married to my fiancé Katelyn.

HDP: I plan on moving back home to Arizona. I am also planning on attending a PA school next year.

JT: I plant to keep working in Portland, hopefully remaining here at LC as an Admissions Counselor, or working with youth.

 

PL: If you were to pick out a yearbook quote for yourself, what would it be?

AL: “You never know who’s watching.”

BH: “Why Not?”

BL: “Do today what others won’t so tomorrow you can do what others can’t.”

CB: “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.”

CM: “My name is actually spelt with a ‘little D.’”

JT: “Shoot your shot.”