Dozens of family members and friends gathered in the Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gym on April 12 to celebrate the Emerson baseball class of 2025. The ceremony took place ahead of the Lions’ April 13 duel against Springfield College, which was rescheduled from the day before due to the rain.

Senior Day

The Brown-Plofker Gym and Skybox were filled with family members, friends and teammates of the ten seniors and six graduate students: fourth-years Jordi Arboleda, Byson Akins, Ezra Charles, Keith Fallon, Nick Favazzo, Eric Ladd, Jake Morvillo, Robby Posio, and Jake Smith; and fifth-years Blake Benway, Chris Ferara, Nick Hubbe, Jake Okamoto, and Aidan Rice.

Each player was introduced with their walk-up song before handing bouquets of flowers to their family members and posing in front of a group of banners along the wall. The players also received gift baskets, which included a new bat.

Head coach Nick Vennochi reflected on the special group of upperclassmen.

“This is a huge group [that’s] really meaningful for the culture of the team,” he said. “They mean a lot to me as people—obviously as players, but as people. Seeing these guys grow—especially the four-year guys … they’ve made a massive impact on us.”

“They were part of the most successful team we’ve had,” he added. “And we’re in the middle of something right now that we haven’t done—which is [being] in the mix [for playoffs] this late in the season.”

Loveland says the program has meant “everything” to him.

“I’ve made my best friends here,” he said. “I’ve made some lifelong friends. I’ve made the best teammates I could ever ask for and the most amazing memories. From day one, I knew this [was] a place I was going to stay at [for] all four years. … Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better four years here.”

The senior co-captain will also remember the tight-knit bond among his fellow upperclassmen.

“We all came together and there [are] still ten of us still standing,” he said. “We have such a big class of seniors and grad guys that we really are just so close together. … When you have a really good team that is able to come together—having those guys around you, being a giant support system, it really helps.”

Akins echoed the sentiment of camaraderie and said he’ll remember the bus rides between games and practices, adding, “Those were some of the most fun moments I’ve ever had during my time at Emerson.”

Aside from the players, the team also recognized senior broadcaster Lucas Simms and senior photographer Anna Schoenmann.

Simms will remember the family-like nature of the group, citing how little changed when he transitioned from pitcher to the play-by-play commentator.

“I stopped playing a year-and-a-half ago for my mental health—I had to prioritize it, and coach [Vennochi] understood, but he still let me do every home game as the play-by-play guy, and that has meant the world to me,” he said. “The fact they thought about me today on senior day, that meant the world, and I’m shocked and grateful for that.”

“This team is so special,” Schoenmann, who has photographed the team since her sophomore year, said. “There’s so many special personalities and people on the team. I’ve really enjoyed traveling with them and getting caught in the worst weather and still having to play baseball. … It doesn’t even matter, you’re there to play baseball and I’m there to take photos.”

Among the many photographs Schoenmann has snapped of the Lions, the frames have also come with several lessons.

“You really never know what you’re going to get with them,” she said. “Some days they’re quiet—which is almost never—but they always have something new, they always have something crazy.”

Schoenmann also reflected on the relationship the team has forged with her and each other.

“Hanging out with them outside of baseball, getting to see them in baseball—see them grow and become a better team throughout the years and become better teammates to each other, that’s been really special,” she added.

Simms resonated heavily with the team’s motto: “Little by Little.”

“It applies to baseball, it applies to life, it applies to everything,” he said. “Just try to be the best version of yourself every day.”

Junior infielder Charlie Coors’ friendships with the seniors and graduate students go back to before he even became a Lion.

“It’s really cool to see all the guys I’ve been around get a nice send-off,” he said. “They’re also just great guys. It’s going to be tough to miss them on and off the field.”

Coors will remember the group’s “dining hall shenanigans” the most.

“It’s those little things that are going to be missed about them,” he said.

Regarding lessons he hopes the seniors and grad students have learned, Vennochi says he wants them to remember the “team-first mentality.”

“Being a part of something bigger than yourself,” he added. “Hopefully they take the skills from Emerson and [they] get themselves a job.”

Sunday Doubleheader

Less than 24 hours after the festivities, the Lions traveled to Frasier Field in Lynn, for their senior day doubleheader against the Springfield Pride. The rain, wind, and chilly temperatures did little to dampen their spirits.

Springfield, however, took the first game with a dominant 9-0 victory, including a two-run homer to left field in the fifth inning.

Defense was the name of the game that afternoon, with the outcome only decided by extra innings. The Lions had numerous opportunities to get on the board with runners in scoring position, but the Pride would end up netting two runs in the top of the eleventh inning: an RBI triple deep to right field and a wild pitch moments later. Despite the Lions’ final attempts to complete the comeback, Springfield’s pitcher recorded three quick outs to complete the Sunday sweep.

Despite the result, junior infielder Justin Fields was encouraged by the team’s overall play.

“I really thought we hit the ball well all day long,” he said. “I thought we played good defense today and we pitched great. We just couldn’t get the key hits or pitches when we needed [them]. But at the end of the day, that’s baseball.”

Fields also tipped his cap to the team’s depth throughout the doubleheader, which he says has been a point of emphasis this season.

“We have guys coming off the bench, pinch hitting, coming on the field, all day long, no matter the inning,” he said. “And everyone can perform, from freshmen to sophomores to grads. … Everyone can get it done, but no one got it done in a timely manner today.”

The Lions will head to Northborough and play host to the WPI Engineers on April 15, at 3:30 p.m. Fields believes the most important lesson heading into the battle is to “just keep going.”

“Play for each other,” he added. “One inning at a time, one pitch at a time, it will lead to one game at a time. We know we’re better than how we’ve played recently, and just keep going, cause if you hang your head, then there’s no point. We still have a lot of conference [games], a lot of season left. It sucks right now, but we’ll be hopeful for Tuesday.”