KIPP nine ready for new challenges

KIPP Academy baseball coach Jerre Maynor is entering his third season leading the Panthers, and he is looking for his team to make a big leap in 2015.
After finishing 5-6 last year, KIPP is entering its first season as a full-fledged high school team in the Massachusetts Charter Baseball League.
?This will really be our first year that we?ll compete with parity with the other schools in our league,” Maynor said. “I?m very optimistic about our ability to compete this year.”
The Panthers will rely heavily on their seven returning players. Seniors Eric Jimenez, Nick Gross, Jose Valera, and Ernesto Pelaez are all three-year starters, and Maynor believes each is poised to have his best season yet.
The other returning starters are junior Benjamin Noon, sophomore Fernando Barrientes, and freshman Ray Castro. Castro played on the team as an eighth-grader last year and will be in the lineup at first base this season, Maynor said.
The coach thinks hitting wasn?t really the problem last year. The Panthers? main problem was pitching.
?We were very competitive on offense last year, but we got no consistent pitching which led to a bunch of walks and unearned runs,” he said. “We hope to build on our successes this year by deepening our bullpen and getting some more power in our lineup.”
With practices starting up, KIPP faces the same problem that many other schools in the area face: Dealing with all the snow.
?I?m nervous that all this snow will keep us from getting on the field until May,” Maynor said.
For now, conditioning and throwing the ball around the gym will have to suffice.Mike Alongi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @m_alongi.