The Seaholm Varsity Baseball team received a big addition this year that should improve their team substantially from top-to-bottom.
Junior shortstop Derreck Amboyen transferred to Seaholm last year from nearby baseball powerhouse, Birmingham Brother Rice.
Amboyen posted solid stats in last year’s warrior lineup.
“I was ‘’All Catholic League’ for batting,” Amboyen said. “I hit .403 (batting average) with six homers.”
This combination of hitting for a high average as well as generating long-distance power numbers should bode well for Amboyen in the Oakland Activities Association this year.
That being said, Amboyen would not mind having a chance to beat his old team, maybe even knock them out of the playoffs.
“I definitely want to beat Rice,”Amboyen said. “It would be nice to beat them. I know we usually end up playing them at districts so it would be nice to beat them there.”
Senior catcher Luke Brinton feels that Amboyen adds a great deal of depth to the team.
“Derreck instantly makes our entire infield stronger,” Brinton said. “When you look at our entire infield after we got Derreck, we are solid at every position.”
Amboyen has already made some big things happen at Seaholm, including a bases loaded, game winning single in the bottom of the seventh to finish off a 9-8 victory for the Maples.
With the game on the line, Amboyen admitted that his nerves were becoming a factor.
“It was really exciting,” Amboyen said. “I was so nervous because, I didn’t want to like strike out or something like that, so I was very happy when I got the hit.”
Amboyen remembers every detail of the pitch following the game.
“It was a 1-2 count and I got an outside fastball,” Amboyen said. “I got a base hit into left field.”
“I was very nervous up there,”Amboyen said. “I was happy when I saw the ball go into left field because I knew we had just won the game.”
As for Amboyen’s goals for the team, he has a clear mark in mind.
“Winning Districts would be sweet,” Amboyen said. “Beating Rice at Districts would be even better.”
