As baseball moves through their conference schedule, they look to find consistency and keep up their strong mentality in order to win.

“I’m going to get a little bit tougher on the guys and try to push them harder than they’re used to,” head coach Frank Consiglio said.

The team had a rocky start to their year but the energy is high as they continue into the season and work out the kinks.

“We didn’t get off to the start we were looking for, but we’ve made really good strides and we’re on our way to getting ready for playoff baseball,” Consiglio said.

One of the complications that this team has had to push through was the lack of experience in this year’s pitching crew. With that being said, the team has had to adjust.

“We have a small pitching staff this year with guys who didn’t get many varsity innings in the past, so there was definitely a learning curve for them at the start of the season,” senior shortstop Tommy Barbato said. “But they’ve improved a lot and have been a positive for us recently, so now we’re just trying to tighten all aspects up.”

As the team faces stronger teams throughout the conference, they are hoping to tighten up their defense.

“We need to improve the consistency of our defense as a unit and our hitting against crafty pitchers,” senior second baseman Nolan Clarke said. “To improve that consistency, we need to bring focus and intensity to every game and continue working hard in practice.”

This consistency will especially be needed when the Kits face New Trier and GBS: their biggest threat.

“Our conference is full of good challenges,” junior outfielder Seth Shimelfarb-Wells said. “It’ll be a challenge but we are talented and have all the right players to win.”

While the upcoming schedule will prove to be challenging, the team believes in the nine players they put on the field to come out on top.

“We have proved that we can compete with the best teams and our stats have gone up from last year in a lot of categories. We just need to smoothen out some small bumps in our game,” Clarke said.

Not only has the team been hitting the weight room daily in preparation for conference games, they’ve been preparing mentally as well. Weekly yoga sessions help with alleviating stress and team bonding, allowing the Kits to grow stronger together.

“As a unit, we have developed a ‘Mamba Mentality.’ We all want to be the best and we all have the capability to be,” Shimelfarb-Wells said.

The seniors on the team have especially stressed the importance of teamwork as they continue through their last season of high school.

“Of course I want to go as far in the playoffs as possible. We’re always thinking about a state championship. But I also want to enjoy my last season of sports, and be a good resource and example for the younger guys,” Barbato said.

The 7-9 Kits will be playing the 7-5-1 Spartans of GBN tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at GBN.