The MS (Marblehead-Swampscott) Junior Legion U17 team has been making a name for itself throughout the season and state tournament. The Mariners are playing in the state semifinals on Tuesday night against Pittsfield with hopes of advancing to the finals.
They won a nail-biting game against Middleboro 11-10 on Monday, much to the delight of Manager Steven Correnti.
“We went down early, then came back, scoring seven in the fourth inning,” Correnti said. “In the top of the sixth inning, though, we gave up runs to give up the lead. Then in the sixth inning, we got back ahead before shutting them down in the seventh inning going 1-2-3.”
“They hung in there and fought back. With two outs, we got a couple of hits, a walk, and then were able to push the run through,” Correnti said.
The Mariners have already tasted success this season, winning the District 8 championship.
“We’re having a good season. In the state tournament, we had to play well to get here,” Correnti said. “We ended up winning the District 8 championship which allowed us to advance to the state tournament.”
When asked about his team’s strengths, Correnti pointed to its continuity and mindset.
“This team has played together for a long time. I’ve been coaching most of these kids since tee-ball. We won two Little League district championships together,” Correnti said. “All but one kid has been playing together since seven or eight years old. They’re a close-knit group and have had their backs against the wall before. They’ve been down five, six, seven, and eight runs before, but they’ve been able to come back from those deficits. They just have a really good attitude.”
“They never enter the game thinking they’ll lose and they never think, throughout a game, that a deficit is too big to overcome,” Correnti said.
Correnti admits to a slow start to the season, but then the team got its “swagger back.”
“We started the season a bit slow. Kids are coming out of high school and playing on different teams, so it took some time to reconnect them to the team,” Correnti said. “Once we got our swagger back, we won 11 of our last 12 games. It’s all about how you finish a season.”
“I know I have a bunch of talented kids who work very hard,” Correnti said. “They never give up. They just go out there and battle and find a way to win. They’re great at supporting each other which is what you want from a team.”
Talk about hard to beat. On defense, the Mariners are solid and have the speed to track down any fly ball, according to Correnti, while on offense, they’re a tough out no matter who’s at the plate.
“We are a great defensive team with a lot of speed, which allows us to be aggressive on the basepath,” Correnti said. “We’re also a good-hitting team. I think we only have two kids who are batting under .400, so a lot of good-hitting kids on this team.”
As for his favorite part of coaching, Correnti pointed to his players being easy to coach and willing to learn.
“They’re just a good group of kids who I’ve been around for a long time,” Correnti said. “Sometimes, they have too much energy and joking around can drive me a bit crazy. But I think when you’re around someone for a long time, it’s natural to get comfortable. I’ve preached to them when they walk on that field – you do it with purpose and focus. They take it to the field every time and it’s just great to coach these kids. They want to learn, excel, and get to the next level.”