Kaleb Cervantes

Coach Gregory explains drills at baseball practice.

The Manitou Springs High School baseball team is getting ready for their first season with a new coach. The team has already been putting their best foot forward to be ready for their season’s first game on March 11, against Pueblo East. The team plays 17 games a season with one regular season tournament and then the possibility of a regional tournament and then a state tournament. 

It is Riley Gregory’s first year as the head coach of the baseball team and he wants to build a strong foundation for the team. “We’re trying to get used to each other, build good habits, and try to just create a good basis for the season,” Gregory said.

Gregory is excited for the trips the team is going on this season and to continue onto playoffs later in the season. “I’m looking forward to our trip to Delta and our trip to Arizona, and I’m really looking forward to hopefully making the playoffs by the end of the year,” he said. 

Gregory believes that the team has strong defensive skills. “I think that we do a good job playing catch and just playing as a team,” he said. “I think our defense is going to have to carry us through games, and hopefully we can score enough runs to win some games.”

Gregory believes that the team has some areas to improve on as well. “I think with a new hitting style and new hitting approach and kind of new goals,” he said. “It’s different for all the kids from last year, so it’s going to take a little bit of time to adjust, but hopefully by the end of the year and by playoffs, we’ll all be on the same page and ready to go.”

Gregory has not selected his team captains yet but he has a strong idea of how he wants his captains to act and carry themselves. “I want someone that’s selfless, I think that’s the biggest thing when it comes to being a captain, somebody that leads by example,” he said, “and someone who leads from the front, is there for the team, and not just for personal achievements.

Mateo Racho Pluth a junior at Manitou Springs High School and has been on the team for all three years but he has played baseball for Manitou for longer than that. “I’ve been playing for the High School team since freshman year, but I’ve been with the Manitou program since sixth grade,” he said. 

Racho Pluth is excited for new opportunities to grow his skill at the next level of high school baseball. “I’m looking forward to improving practice by practice,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to the opportunity to improve at the varsity level.”

Racho Pluth agrees with Gregory that the team’s strongest attribute is defensive and that it’s a very important skill to have. “Defense wins games, and I believe that we have a very strong defense, and it will only get better as the season progresses,” he said.

Racho Pluth has set goals to better himself mentally and physically. “I want to better myself in all aspects this season, but especially in my confidence. In the past and in general, I lost confidence in myself in many situations or struggled in believing in my abilities, and I think that’s something I really need to focus on and improve,” he said.

Dylan Tindall is new to the team this year and he believes that as an underclassman that making it to tryouts and practices can be a challenge. “One of the most difficult things about tryouts is getting there on time because you need to ask an upperclassman for a ride,” he said. 

Tindall believes that the JV team has a good bond already. “We all know each other very well and have good team chemistry,” he said.

Tindall is excited to see how the team plays together and believes that they all have something to work on. “Since for most people it’s their first year playing baseball. We need to work on a bit of everything specifically in fundamentals, and doing things with intent,” he said.

Overall Gregory wants to be super competitive in every game this season. “We play a really tough schedule with six of the top ten teams from last year,” he said. “I want to compete at the highest level, and then hopefully that carries into the playoffs,  we make a good run into a state championship.