As Mount Carmel’s varsity baseball team prepares for the 2015 season, the prospect of winning another state title is on every players’ mind.

Third baseman AJ Lewis is “pretty confident” about winning another title this year.  “I feel like we put the work in and made the sacrifices that others didn’t make.”

After the harsh winter Chicago has experienced, Lewis is excited to get started. “Playing baseball in Chicago, it’s hard to get outside early, but that makes us more anxious and ready to win.”

Shortstop Jeremy Houston also feels good about the team. “We have a lot to prove as a whole to accomplish the goal we all want, and that is state.” While Houston knows the team has “a lot of talent,” he also recognizes that the key is “to play together.”

The two junior teammates have something in common beyond their optimism:  both already have committed to college programs.  Lewis plans to attend Missouri, while Houston will go to Indiana.  They credit much of their success to Mount Carmel Head Coach Brian Hurry, who Lewis regards as “an excellent coach.  He genuinely cares for his players and teaches us to be fierce competitors.”

Houston also appreciates Hurry. “He is really different . . . he teaches us the mental part of baseball and that is what matters.”

While he is focused on the upcoming season, the shortstop cannot help but have one eye on his future.  He committed early to Indiana because “I felt like it was the best fit for me, and it was a really nice environment with great people. They have good academics and the baseball team is excelling.”

Third baseman Lewis pointed to similar factors in explaining his decision to Missouri.  Like Mount Carmel, Missouri just made him feel “at home,” and “I built a relationship with the coaching staff.”