No athlete wants to have their season ended abruptly, for any reason. Whether it be little league, high school, or the college level, these seasons are times for us as athletes to live out our dreams on the field with our brothers. To be sitting in a hotel in Athens, Ohio and being told we were done for the year was something I can say I will never forget. But the group that I was truly devastated for was our seniors. At some point everybody's athletic career comes to an end, but for this group the reality of the situation had to be a tough pill to swallow.
One of the things we do towards the end of the year as a team is to gather for our annual baseball banquet. Although this year we may be conducting the banquet via Zoom, every year underclassmen like me take the mic and say a couple of words about that year's seniors. When tasked with writing this piece, I thought of no better way to give people a look at our baseball family than by honoring our group of four seniors.
Leading us off is Yasser Santana. My first impression of Yas came about three days into my freshman year at Siena. I ventured over to the townhouses — no, don't call public safety on me quite yet — with a couple of other freshmen to introduce ourselves to the upperclassmen of that year. I walked into one of the baseball townhouses and immediately was met with the blaring of Latino music. Yas was in the kitchen making food and dancing like nobody had walked in and came right over to introduce himself. Since that moment Yas has not changed one bit and I doubt he ever will. With so many underclassmen coming through the team the last two years, Yas has been the ultimate team player and is always quick to pick a young guy up when they're slumping or down on themselves. His energy and love for the game is something everybody on our team respects, regardless of music taste and the dance moves that come along with it. Thank you Yas.
Next is Jono Crimmin. Jono, very much like myself, is a part of a distinguished "brotherhood" that has been traced back to the first days Coach Rossi took his walk — I mean I'd like to think it was a jog at one point — to the third base box at Siena. This "club" was first introduced to me the day I walked into the locker room freshman year. I grabbed my jersey to take a look and immediately Jono started laughing at me. "YOU'RE THE NEW DRPICH!," he said to me, and immediately I knew what he meant. Jono and I share a bond with only the most elite group of Siena Baseball players that have ever donned the Green and Gold. We not only excel on the field, but also in the dining hall. But as my weight has fluctuated up, way up, and then down over my two years at Siena, Jono's has stayed the same, and that's something I'll always respect about him. All jokes aside, Jono is the type of person we all strive to be like. He has an astute sense of knowing when it is time to work, but at the same time bringing his humor to the field every day to keep things light. Thank you for setting the tone for our program and showing us underclassmen how to be successful student athletes.
Next up is Zach Durfee. Durf was one of my many teammates whose careers I grew up following as a slightly younger player in the Capital Region. I had heard rumors about this outfielder from Ballston Spa through the grapevines, and finally got a glimpse of his baseball tools when I came on campus. A Preseason All-MAAC honoree, Durf was poised for a senior year that could only be described like his hair color: red hot. He was a staple in the Siena outfield for my first two years here, and always had a knack for getting big hits in big moments. Durf is the type of person and player you always want on your side when going into a big game. Zach has given so much to this program over the course of four years, and his leadership and playing ability will be hard to replace. Thank you Durf.
Last but certainly not least is Matt Pierce. Another guy I grew up watching play baseball in the Capital Region, Pierce's value to a team goes far beyond the field. Matt made it a point to take myself and all the other freshmen pitchers under his wing during his time as a junior living in Hennepin Hall, the ultimate "tough look". Freshman year is always a year of ups and downs. After a rough start against Northeastern – and describing it as rough really puts a positive spin on the whole day – I was taking the dreaded walk back to the bullpen to grab the rest of my gear. Sitting there was Pierce and the rest of the bullpen. Matt looked at me and laughed and just said, "Bigs, that was terrible." As angry and frustrated as I was in the moment, I couldn't help but start to laugh at the comment. Pierce knows just how to lighten up the mood during long days of doubleheaders or 5 a.m. practices at All Star's Academy. He treats baseball exactly as it should be treated, not like life or death, but as a kid's game. Pierce's knowledge of the game and competitive fire on the mound is something I think all players would kill to have. His dance moves and presence in the locker room will be hard to replace. Thank you Pierce.
Although this piece won't give these guys their season back, or allow them to walk out with their parents for Senior Day, I hope it sheds a little bit of light to just how important these four men were to our baseball program. Their impact both on the field and off will be hard to replace, but the building blocks they laid for our program are extremely strong. The professional world is gaining four people who will bring their all to a company or, in Pierce's case, a room full of sixth graders. Yikes. Thank you to these four seniors for all they have done for Siena Baseball. Love you guys.
