By McKenna Barcelona, Staff Writer
The crack of the bat echoes across the field, and the smell of freshly cut grass fills the air.
It’s baseball season at Newman.
Head coach Drew Muas, now in his fifth season, and his team have been playing since play started on Feb. 1. So far, the team’s record is 4-24.
In the 2023 season, Maus led the Jets to their first ever MIAA Tournament appearance and first tournament appearance since 2014. The Jets finished with a 23-30 record, and their 14 conference wins were the most in the Newman-MIAA era. In the conference tournament, Newman lost a three-game series to No. 13 Missouri Southern in the opening round.
Maus said that he’s disappointed with how the season has shaken out so far this year. The team has been in a lot of games but has not been able to finish them.
“I have got to do a better job of getting them to stay focused and compete everyday,” he said.
Despite the team’s record, several players have been standing out, Maus said. Among them are Joe Kinneberg, a senior from Sandy, Utah; Garrett Arnold, a junior from San Jose; and Jaret Granger, a senior from Arlington, Texas. To keep the team motivated, Maus said, he tries to remind the members of their purpose: “This is what you do and why you came here.”
Senior outfielder Shawn Marquis said he’s still hopeful about the season.
“It has been a bit of an up and down, especially early on, but I feel like the guys are really starting to get the hang of what we need to do to be better,” he said. “I think that we will be able to turn it around here towards the end.”
Being successful on the field takes countless hours of practice, he said.
“It is a lifetime commitment to me,” Marquis said. “I grew up playing baseball. It is almost like a generational pastime where I have my coaches who helped create me.”
Maus said he hopes to provide a supportive and nurturing environment so the athletes have space to break away from the grind of being a college student.
“Hopefully, we can win a couple more games here and there,” he said. “Afterall, this is just a hobby to participate in, like theater and music.”
The Jets play next against Missouri Western in St. Joseph today through Saturday.
Contributing: Matthew Fowler of the Vantage
PHOTO: Matthew Fowler, A&E Editor
