Buchholz Baseball Spring ’23: Season Retrospective

The spring 2023 baseball season brought to light many different players for the Buchholz Bobcat baseball program. Many talented players such as JJ Gardner, Cedaris Smith, Anthony Wilkie, Alex Cardozo, Noah Hayse, and many others were so sharp both on the plate and outside of the mound this season. As this team finishes its season and goes off to the 2023 FHSAA Baseball District Tournaments, I wanted to take a moment to show appreciation for the pieces of this team that made them so fun to watch this season.

 The final rounds from Head Coach Ron Brooks are below.

Pitching

The depth of the Buchholz Bobcats at pitching is a big reason for the multiple 4 and 5-game win streaks they were able to accumulate this season. Alex Cordazo and Anthony Wilkie were instrumental in keeping the outfield afloat. Potential for collegiate play is strong in both of these young prospects and have developed well over the course of their senior seasons. Head Coach Ron Brooks did a great job keeping each of his best pitchers fresh and able to compete at the best of their abilities. 

Outfield

The sharpness of the Buchholz outfield was an aspect of this team that shined brightly. The poise and sharpness of this team was on display whenever the opposing team would hit the mound. Arm strength was always on display from both sides of the plate. Even in situations where a hit caught an awkward part of the field, the dexterity of players such as Conner Brown and Cedaris Smith were able to reel in those ground balls. The outfield was excellent as well, with strong arms from players like JJ Gardner being able to turn hits that would be doubles and triples into singles on a routine basis. This defense was the reason for multiple shutouts this season.

Hitting

The sharpest part of this team on average was their hitting work. Each player on this team had their own specific strength, but the outfielders were the shining stars on the offense of this team. Cedaris Smith and JJ Gardner were able to hit a large percentage of the pitches that came their way and had some amazing games. Smith was even able to rack up a homer or two when it counted, and the development of players like Kai So led to some amazing moments such as So’s game-winning triple against Gainesville High.

Community

The Bobcat community was always so supportive of their players. A special thing happens in a high school community when their sports teams play well, and being immersed in that kind of environment was a joy to watch when the students decide to get involved. Senior night was one of the most entertaining nights this season due to not only the large turnout but the enthusiasm of the students and how they all were able to band together and support their fellow classmates. I decided to get a little piece of what I’m talking about in an interview for the viewers at home. Thank you to everyone for a great season!