A month ago, the 26 players that make up the North Adams SteepleCats' roster were wearing the colors of 16 different schools and teams. Two weeks into the New England College Baseball League season those 26 players have the SteepleCats in a tie for first place.
One of the reasons for the hot start has been the team's chemistry.
"We have a good bond and we all know how to play the game the right way," outfielder Jeff Roy said. "We have a couple of jokers on the team. We all know how to have fun and nobody's uptight."
Despite a two-game losing streak through nine games the SteepleCats have the leagues highest win total, with a record of 6-3.
"I played on the SteepleCats three years ago and have played on other summer ball teams, but I've never been on a team that clicked so quickly," Charlie Law said. "The chemistry is great, everybody gets along. We all play and feed off of each other."
The stellar play from Roy and Law has helped contribute to the good start. Roy has settled into the leadoff role reaching base 19 times and stealing 13 bases. Law currently leads the team in RBI's with 11.
Despite it being his first year as the skipper for North Adams, Bryan Adamski has been involved in the NECBL for four seasons. He hasn't seen a team click the way his SteepleCats have in the first two weeks.
"This group is phenomenal," Adamski said. "This is just a flat out special group of kids."
What has
"I don't really know," Law said. "We got a feel for each others personalities on and off the field and we just clicked. I don't really know how it happens, but we'll take it for sure."
Adamski thinks it started with the decisions made in putting the team together during the winter by general manager Sean McGrath.
"Sean puts in the leg work into not only putting together a talented group of kids, but a good group of kids," Adamski said. "High character guys and kids that are going to behave on and off the field the way they should."
It's not just the players who have been in North Adams since June 4, that are clicking. Esteban Tresgallo arrived in town just days after his University of Miami team ended its season last week. In his first game at Joe Wolfe Field Saturday, Tresgallo went 2 for 3, with two RBI's, a double, a home run and a sacrifice bunt.
"The guys make it pretty easy," Tresgallo said. "It's awesome, the guys here are perfect, really funny and we all get along well. They're all great guys to be around."
"It's a testament to the team's ability to welcome guys, they're a friendly happy bunch and they enjoy each other's company," Adamski said. "These guys are putting in the effort to get to know each other and they're finding out they have a lot in common."
Adamski called his his team unselfish, as every player is willing to do things to help the team win games.
"It's not a common thing this time of year in summer ball," Adamski said. "Guys are laying down bunts on their own, or asking to bunt if we have an offensive conference with guys on. Everyone is playing unselfish baseball. I'm very happy with where we are at, at this point in the season."
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