HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — High school seniors across the country had their school year cut short, and baseball players never even had the chance to start their season.
When the Harrisonville High School baseball team first got the news, players and coaches said it stung.
“It was like a rain delay, a giant rain delay," said Head Coach Dave Hix.
Wildcat baseball had big plans for its 2020 season.
“The only goal on our mind was to win a conference championship and I think we thought we had the pieces to do it," said Carson Crowley, outfielder.
The Wildcats last competed in the District Championship game in 2017. The team lost, but the Wildcats said this year's team was built to go all the way.
"The guys, like I said, had a lot of electricity, they brought fire to the field and it was fun every single day. They wanted to work and practices flew by," said Jerico Burasco, assistant coach.
After hearing the Missouri State High School Activities Association called off the season, Coach Hix wanted his seniors to cross home plate at least once.
“Best way to honor them was the best way I knew how, was to be out there on the field that Friday night coaching them one more time," Hix said.
Hix hung up all seven senior banners on the fence of the field and had each player dress out for one final at-bat.
“It definitely shows the culture that Coach Hix and Coach Burasco and all of us have kind of built — that it’s more than a sport, it’s like a family. We all care about each other so much," said Landon George, catcher.
The season's start was out of left field, but its end will go down as a win.
"You know, they’re going to be missed, they’re going to be missed," Hix said.
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