Under Coach Alex Kocol, this year’s rigorous baseball schedule is testing the skills of the Varsity Batmen as it faces elite schools such as El Camino Real, Chatsworth, Cleveland, and Narbonne. Although the team has only two games under its belt, its biggest game will be played tomorrow against El Camino Real, ranked second in the nation.

On Saturday, the team played a back-and-forth game against Cleveland in the Chatsworth Invitational Tournament. The Wildcats were defeated, 9-4, but they were not the only ones who lost. Palisades, one of the best in the Western League, lost to the El Camino Real Conquistadors in four innings, 13-3.

Tuesday marked the league home opener for the Wildcats and the beginning of their fight for the City Championship. But they did not start the season the way they had planned. With an overall record of 3-4, the Batmen faced Westchester in a highly anticipated game. The Wildcats scored first, but the Comets exploded with two wind-aided homeruns off starter Ricky Gutierrez.

Despite doubles from second baseman Adrian Garcia and outfielder/pitcher Scott Hong, and two hits by shortstop Ryan Mortimer, the offense did not have enough to prevail. The Wildcats ended up losing, 6-4.

When the teams again took the field yesterday, the Wildcats’ hopes were slightly dampened by the loss on Tuesday. Though the Batmen were determined to “wow” the crowd, their inability to make contact with the ball cost them the game, 3-2.

Hong, who pitched the entire game, dominated the last three innings, putting out the last nine batters and finishing with 13 strikeouts. Ironically, many of the professional scouts who came to watch Westchester’s centerfielder D’Arby Myers were also impressed by Hong’s pitching ability.

Mortimer hit two for three, and Gutierrez’s triple, which would have been a homerun on many other fields, brought in two runs.

The team will have another opportunity to showcase its skills and enjoy America’s favorite pastime tomorrow, when it faces El Camino Real. Next week, the Wildcats are scheduled to play Venice twice, at home on Tuesday and away on Thursday.