These words are music to the ears of baseball fans everywhere, and they were heard last night for the first time in Ocracoke School history.
Despite their 13-3 loss against the Hatteras Hurricanes, fans and players alike were thrilled to be part of the landmark occasion.
Spectator Noel Goodwin said, "This is history being made, and I'm so happy to be here."
For those who couldn't make the trip to Hatteras, David Allewalt was on hand enthusiastically broadcasting the game live on 90.1 WOVV Ocracoke Community Radio. He even had the fans singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in the bottom of the fourth.
7th grader Kyle Tillett had the first hit for the Dolphins. While lefty Colby Spencer scored the Dolphins’ first run, "it was most certainly a team effort to score each of our three runs," Coach Bill Cole clearly indicated.
All coaches were stirred by the effort put forth by all ten boys on the team. Simply put, "this was 10 people rooting for 10 people," said Coach Bill.
Last night, the Dolphin team stepped on a real diamond for the first time and had to "play big" said Coach John Kattenburg. “We had some missed opportunities, but fundamentally we grew exponentially."
Coach Vince O'Neal adds, "we are extremely proud of how our boys played and hung in there, especially being the first time on a varsity field. You will see quite an improvement in their skills as the season progresses and as they learn with every game."
As baseball mom Sue O’Neal, who never misses a game, puts it, “I’m just so incredibly proud of all these boys. It’s hard being the first of anything, and these boys are trailblazers for the future of Ocracoke baseball.”
With runners on base every inning, this Ocracoke team hints at a compelling season ahead. Stay tuned. The next two games are scheduled for the 7th and 14th of March against the Hatteras Hurricanes at Cape Hatteras Secondary School. WOVV 90.1 will continue live coverage throughout the season. You can listen online at wovv.org.
The Ocracoke Middle School Dolphin Baseball Team Roster is as follows:
Evin Caswell 3rd Base
Spencer Gaskins Catcher/Pitcher
Matteus Gilbert Outfield/Catcher
Hunter O'Neal Utility/Outfield
Carson O'Neal 1st Base
Jordi Perez Utility
Colby Spencer 2nd Base/Pitcher
Kyle Tillett Shortstop/Pitcher
Waylon Underwood Infield/Pitcher
Eldon Robinson Outfield
Dylan Sutton Outfield
Coaches: Bill Cole, Vince O’Neal, Andrew Spencer, Doug Eiffert and John Kattenburg