Growing up and playing “America’s pastime” at the college level is every kid’s dream, but just imagine playing with three friends you’ve played with your entire life.
Juniors Keith Simpson and Vincent Parilla and sophomore Austin Marino have been playing baseball together since they were on the 12-year-old all-star team from Londonderry, New Hampshire.
Although going from all-stars all the way up to the collegiate baseball is no easy task, these three players have managed to do it with their best friends. Simpson, the left-handed pitcher, said that he has been swinging a baseball bat since he could walk. However, he said baseball hasn’t been the same since he started paying college ball. “It’s a lot different, you need to be a lot smarter of a baseball player to play at the college level,” Simpson said.
Marino, the first baseman and also the designated hitter, agreed with Simpson. “The pace of the game is a lot more too, the game speeds up a lot when you’re in college as opposed to high school,” Marino said.
Parilla, the right fielder, said that playing in college is more like a full-time job now and it is not easy.
Photo editor / Tim Smith
“The hours put in and all the work put in is more than you would expect, from what we’ve shown. We put in more than forty hours a week easily. Time in the gym and then time on your own, its not easy,” Parilla said.
The three players reminisced on a time when they were on the all-star team together and traveled to Cooperstown, New York. “We played in a big fifty-team tournament that they used to have. We went up there for a week, and played in a big complex and everyone stays at the complex,” Parilla said.
Simpson added, “The last day there we were having a pillow fight with each other. Then all of a sudden we decided to raid another dorm.” He continued, “We would raid a dorm, and then get them to join our team. Then it would be two teams raiding another dorm. Then it would be three going after one. It just escalated so quickly, but it was a blast.”
Although playing baseball when they were younger was fun, Simpson said they are still trying to keep that attitude at the college level. Even when they are playing summer ball.
Marino said that his biggest role model for the game is his Legion coach during the summer, Rick Brothers. Marino also said that Simpson helped coach him during those Legion games. “This past year Keith was helping coach Legion, and the first game back he got the boot for arguing balls and strikes,” Marino said.
Simpson explained, “The ump told me to get in the dugout, and I said I’m a coach I don’t need to be. The Ump said again, ‘Get in the dugout!’ So I took one step closer to the dugout and said ‘I’ll be good here.’ Then he said ‘Get out of here!,’ and just tossed me.”
Simpson said that he gets his love and passion for the game from his brother. “My brother is my biggest role model, he played four years of college baseball at Springfield College. He helped me be the baseball player I am today,” Simpson said.
Parilla said that his father and grandfather are the reason that he stuck with baseball. “They always just pushed me to play, and I probably wouldn’t have even played if it wasn’t for those two guys,” Parilla said.
Even though it was a rough season, Simpson said that they are really trying to turn it around for next season. “With a few new recruits coming in it will definitely help,” Simpson said.
Connor Smith can be contacted at csmith@kscequinox.com
