Bulldogs take steps forward, still seeking title caliber

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

A record-setting season provided evidence of progress for the Wheaton baseball team, but Coach Nathan Jones believes the Bulldogs still left opportunities on the table.

In his second season leading the program, Jones’ Bulldogs finished at 13-13, delivering the most wins in a spring season since 1981. Even so, Jones said the team fell short of its biggest goals.

“I feel like overall we underachieved and didn’t reach some of the goals we set out for ourselves as a team,” he said. “We did finish 13-13, but we just couldn’t quite get it done when it mattered this year.”

Jones described the season as a step forward from his first year at the helm, but one that highlighted the difference between being competitive and becoming a championship-caliber team.

“I feel it was better than year number one, but we fell short in getting to a district championship and winning conference,” Jones said.

One of the biggest areas of growth came in how the Bulldogs handled adversity throughout a season filled with highs and lows.

“I felt like our ability to be resilient and not make excuses for ourselves when things went bad improved throughout the season,” Jones said. “We had a ton of ups and downs, and us learning how to be extremely accountable for our play and actions was important for us.”

That growth was tested repeatedly as Wheaton found itself in close contests against quality opponents. While the Bulldogs often put themselves in position to win, Jones said finishing games remained a challenge.

“[We need to improve our ability] our ability to close out games and beat good teams,” Jones said. “We are still learning what it takes to be considered a great team by finishing games against good teams.”

Among the season’s memorable moments, one comeback stood above the rest.

“The New Heights game was a fun one,” Jones said. “We had a 6-run seventh inning to tie the game and fought back to give ourselves a chance.”

The season also marked the final campaign for seniors Riley Roller and Evan Pyle, two players Jones said embodied the standard he wants for the program moving forward.

“We were fortunate to have two really good seniors,” Jones said. “Riley and Evan were great examples of what we would like to see each player at Wheaton be when they put that uniform on each and every day.”

Jones credited both players not only for their production but also for the example they set for younger teammates.

“They gave me their best effort and had tremendous seasons overall,” Jones said.

With much of the roster expected to return, Jones believes the foundation built over the past two years could position the Bulldogs to take another step forward next spring.

“Going into my third year with this team, our guys should be comfortable with how I coach and do things,” Jones said. “They should finally be in a position to be ready to compete and get over the hump to do something worth remembering as a team.”

That expectation begins with the same goals the Bulldogs carried into this season — championships.

“We have the same expectations to try and compete for a conference and district championship,” Jones said. “We have most of our team coming back, and I am expecting us to reach our expectations in the coming year.”

For Jones, the challenge now is turning a season of progress into one that ends with hardware.

The Bulldogs proved they could battle through adversity and achieve a historic win total. The next step, he said, is learning how to finish the job when the stakes are highest.