The past few years for the Wolfpack baseball team have been defined by expectations for post-season success. The last time they went past the first round of the playoffs was in the 2022-23 season, where they lost to Legacy High School in the semi-finals, who ended up winning the championship. 

After coming in third place last season after winning two league titles in a row, the team is seeking better results. “I expect us to compete every year for a championship, but this year especially. We have most of the team returning, with a majority of the team having playoff experience,” Coach Benavidez said.

Coming off a season where they had a record of 15-10, similar success is expected, especially with senior David Aguirre returning from injury. Aguirre’s 2024 season was cut short before it even began with a shoulder injury he suffered during the basketball season. “It was the first time in my life I wasn’t able to play the sport I loved. Failure and injuries are part of the sport, and you have to choose how you’re going to react and return even stronger than before. Being back on the field has been a blessing. Being able to play alongside my younger brother (Bryan Aguirre) has been a privilege. Playing alongside my teammates one last time is something I’m forever grateful for,” Aguirre said. Returning to the team after a lost year, Aguirre is set for a very productive season.

Freshman Brian Aguirre has been outstanding, hitting to a .480 batting average (including a walk-off hit) while having a 35% caught-stealing percentage. “It has felt great starting the season with this much success. The move from playing shortstop to catcher has not been very challenging,” Aguirre said. He, Jorge Viramontes, and Aisaiah Monge are the only freshmen on varsity this year, all adjusting to varsity play in different ways. “It was difficult starting out as I felt I did not fit in varsity. Once I adjusted by switching up my approach and not putting myself down for mistakes, I felt I started to play better. Watching and learning from my teammates has helped me to improve and replace bad habits I once had, “ Monge said.

Junior David Angulo is having an amazing season, pitching to a 2.62 era in 7 appearances while throwing 17.2 innings. This is a vast improvement from last year, where in seven appearances, Angulo had a 6.09. ERA in 19.2 inings. “I started to improve from last year once I started to focus more on my mechanics and making competitive pitches,” said Angulo.

Currently, the team has a record of five wins and five losses. After starting league play on April 2nd away against Sotomayor, the Wolfpack had been preparing themselves for these high-stakes games prior to this.

Playing only three home games compared to five road games (including the reigning Open Division champions in Bell High School), the team is not phased playing on the road. “I don’t really focus on the crowd when I’m on the mound. I definitely do hear them, but they aren’t my main focus. I do what I know I could do and trust both my abilities and the defense behind me,” Andrew Moran, a junior, said. With league play starting up, the Wolfpack are well-prepared for the upcoming games.