To many coaches, the two greatest qualities a team captain can present are determination and leadership, and the varsity baseball team has both in senior Nate Sullivan.
Starting off the second half of the regular season with a strong .324 batting average over a team-high 37 plate appearances, Sullivan is in mid-season form batting at the top of the lineup each night.
“I struggled at the plate to start the year, but lately I’ve started to find my swing again and get on base a lot,” Sullivan said.
Once Sullivan reaches base, he has been catching the attention of many opposing pitchers, swiping another team-high eight bases.
The versatile captain has also added pitching to his already lofty arsenal, adapting a new, unfamiliar role for his team.
“I was moved from my closer role to now being a starter,” Sullivan said. “I’ve had good quality starts by mixing pitches up and keeping batters guessing.”
When Sullivan toes the mound he finds success by pounding opponents with his improved off speed pitches and his equalizer fastball. He has been a reliable arm coach Brent Demas has been able to rely upon often in the early going. When he’s not granted the nod, he plays strong defense as the team’s starting shortstop.
After getting off to a rocky start this spring, the team is starting to build some momentum with a significant 11-5 win over Salem. Sullivan factored into the win on both sides of the ball, putting together a gutsy performance on the mound and adding three hits at the dish.
Sullivan wants to use this win as a springboard for the team as they get their season back on track and make a strong push for the playoffs. Leading a deep, diverse roster, Sullivan does not undermine the importance of having great team chemistry.
“Having a senior heavy roster helps us have great chemistry as a team,” Sullivan said. “Most of us have been playing together since we were eight-years-old so we can pretty much tell each other anything.”
This past season Sullivan was also given the prestigious honor of being named to the NHIAA D1 all-state 1st team.
“[That honor] really meant a lot to me,” Sullivan said. “It proved that all the work I put in the off-season really paid and made me a better and stronger player. It gave me the ability to really become a team leader.”
Sullivan has left a lasting impact on numerous coaches and teammates over his young career, but one teammate in particular has learned a lot from the gritty shortstop.
“He has been a great mentor ever since I was called up last season,” said junior infielder Reece Manor. “He is a hard working kid who will do anything for the team to get us a win.”
Moving forward, Sullivan is remaining optimistic about the fate of his team as they kick off the second half of their season.
“We had a tough schedule to start the season, but we have recently won a few big games that we are looking to ride off of,” Sullivan said. “We are going to be making a strong push towards the playoffs.”
