To begin the baseball season, the varsity baseball team played their first scrimmage of the season on Jan. 31, defeating Milby High School 5–0. The team followed up with a second scrimmage against Klein High School on Feb. 1, where they fell 5–1.

Head coach Ozuna, along with assistant coach Newsum, have been preparing the team during preseason to get back into shape. After reflecting on the team’s performance this past weekend, Ozuna is able to determine what the team should work on in the weeks to come.

“Klein had a few better arms, but we had some good offense in that game,” Ozuna said. “Our situational hitting wasn’t as good, but we’re practicing that, and I’m happy with our progress. There’s still plenty to work on, but I think we’re going to be just fine once the regular season starts in three weeks.”

The team enters the 2026 season with a much younger roster compared to last year. After graduating 18 seniors, the team now has only five seniors and two new sophomores, making juniors the core of the lineup.

“We have position players that have some experience, but now we also have a lot of new guys,” Ozuna said. “I’ve had to be a lot more patient at times. But the players know our standard, and they’re moving in that right direction.”

Junior Sullivan Mulcahy, a three-year varsity player, has seen the team adjust to new roles and responsibilities.

“Playing on varsity since my freshman year has helped me mature as a player,” Mulcahy said. “I’ve learned the speed of the game early on, and now as a junior, I feel more confident and experienced.” 

This new transition period has consisted of new players stepping into bigger roles. Mulcahy added that the preseason scrimmages helped him evaluate his own performance.

“I felt good in both scrimmages,” Mulcahy said. “I stayed confident at the plate and was consistent defensively. The coaches have helped me find the best fit for me and better improve my understanding of the game.”

The team’s chemistry has remained steady even with the addition of new players. First-year varsity member and field player, sophomore Connor Welch, has proven to be a good fit for the program and has been given the chance to carve out his own role.

“Everyone’s already got their routines and their standards,” Welch said. “I’m trying to come in and do my job. Coach Newsum and Coach Ozuna have really helped me on the pitching side, fixing my mechanics and helping me throw harder and get stronger.” 

Alongside the logistics of the game itself, the coaches support players in all aspects of their lives. Since the coaches have been in the players’ shoes before, they strive to create personal relationships with the team. 

“We know that they’re teenagers, and they all have school, personal and social lives,” Ozuna said. “They’re getting pulled in a bunch of different directions all the time, but we’re supportive of that.”

As the season approaches, competition within the roster remains intense, particularly as younger players push for varsity roles.

“We’ve got a lot of guys competing for innings and lineup spots right now,” Ozuna said. “That’s been our focus since the fall. We’ve been lifting, doing individual defense and hitting almost every day to get them back into our system. With so many younger players, we’re trying to see who can separate themselves the right way and be great teammates at the same time.”

The pressure is on for third-year varsity players to step up to the plate as underclassmen work to secure their spot in the batting order.

“I really want to be able to play a lot this year,” Welch said. “I’m trying to set myself apart from others on the team to really show that I can play at a higher level.”

The Cardinals practice every day except for Sunday, starting at 3:30 p.m. to prepare for this upcoming season. Their first game is against Cy Ranch on Mar. 5 at Fr. Wilson Field. For a more detailed version of their season schedule visit www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=bellairecbbc.