LYNN — The past two seasons haven’t been ideal for Dax Billingsley and the English baseball team. After finishing at 6-12 in both seasons, the Bulldogs have gotten a taste of what it’s like to fall short of the state tournament. Needless to say, they don’t like it.
Billingsley, a pitcher in his senior season with the Bulldogs, is part of an 11-player senior class that’s hungry to right the ship this spring.
“We feel great about the core we have this season,” Billingsley said. “We have 11 seniors and five juniors. We’ve been playing together for the past few years. We have the chemistry that other teams don’t have. It feels comforting to know what I have behind me on the mound.”
English is 3-2 through the first five games of the season. The Bulldogs started the season with a 2-0 win over Malden that featured a five-inning effort from Billingsley, a right-hander. English has also logged victories over Winthrop and Somerville. In the win over Winthrop, Billingsley went the distance and allowed two earned runs.
“Dax is a kid that always wants the ball,” English coach Doug Mullins said. “As a coach you feel good putting the ball in his hand. He always gives the team a chance to win. He’s a competitor. He’s always ready to go to battle for his teammates and his coaches.”
Billingsley has liked what he’s seen from the Bulldogs through the early going of the spring.
“We’re feeling very good to start the season,” Billingsley said. “We’ve had a few losses but we’re feeling very strongly about ourselves. We played well in those losses. We know we have a tough schedule but we trust one another and we trust Coach Mullins. We believe there’s no team we can’t fight against.
“The team has spirit this year,” Billingsley said. “I’m not going to say we’re an 18-2 team but I strongly feel we’ll find our way into the state tournament. This team will never quit. We have a bunch of guys that are always willing to fight.”
When he’s on the mound, Billingsley’s focus isn’t set on overpowering opposing batters. Instead, his goal is to throw strikes and let the fielders behind him make the plays needed to get outs.
“My mentality is to go out there and throw strikes,” Billingsley said. “I’m one of nine guys out on the field. I’m not going to do it all by myself. The way baseball works, you kind of have to let the opponents hit the ball. I have confidence in letting my defense make plays. It’s about getting guys out and keeping guys off base.”
Added Mullins, “Dax is an experienced kid. You know what you’re getting from him. He doesn’t try to overpower batters. He relies on his location and his experience. He executes pitches in big moments. The moment never gets too big for him.”
In addition to four years of varsity baseball, Billingsley was also a member of English’s swim team for three seasons. He was a key part of the Bulldogs run to the Lynn City Swim Meet championship this past winter. After experiencing victory in the pool, Billingsley’s hoping to carry that success to the diamond.
“A run in the state tournament would by my final send-off at English,” Billingsley said. “After coming off a city championship with the swim team, it would feel right. We’ve been sitting in the bottom of the Northeastern Conference for the past few years, wondering what we’ve been doing wrong. If we can go on a tournament run, it would feel right.”
Billingsley can play relaxed and comfortable this season, knowing that his future plans as a student athlete are official. He committed to play baseball and continue his education at Division III Rivier University in Nashua, New Hampshire. His commitment was made official in February.
“The deciding factor in my college endeavors was influenced mainly by education,” Billingsley, who plans to study homeland and international security, said. “Rivier has a small campus. I came from a huge school in English so I liked that a lot. When I talked to (baseball) coach (Anthony) Perry, he seemed very involved as a coach. He saw me as an integral part of a rebuilding process.”
For the time being, Billingsley’s lone charge is bringing his best effort as he aims to leave English with a senior season worth remembering.
“My approach is to leave it all on the field,” Billingsley said. “After this season I have nothing left at English. I want to make the most of every game. We have 11 seniors and we all feel the same way. We want to get everyone’s attention this year. This season’s about making a statement.”
