Last year as a junior, Calvin Delich’s baseball season couldn’t have gone any better.
Delich finished with a team-high .533 batting average, and also snagged a spot on the Kansas All-State first team. So, heading into the 2020 season and having already signed with Central Missouri, Delich’s expectations were high.
Delich and the Iola Mustangs were not only looking to send out head coach Mark Percy on a bang in his final ride, but also capture a second state championship in three years. Of course, neither of those happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced Kansas schools to close for the remainder of the school year.
The thought of what could’ve been still rests in Delich’s head.
“It just sucks,” Delich said. “This is the season for 18 years you look forward to. It is the season you usually do the best, and I know we as a team were looking to do big things.”
Delich was a key cog in Iola’s state run in 2018, finishing with a .507 average and showcasing his skill with 4 triples. In that season Delich got to witness senior teammates Issac Vink and Ethan Tavarez go out on top, a wish he dreams was reality in 2020.
“I’ve been jealous of Vink and Izzy,” Delich said. “Their last game of their high school career was winning a state championship game. I mean, there’s just no better way to end your high school career.”
Delich is trying to put his focus on his college future. With the cancellation of spring sports also at the college level, athletes have been granted an extra year of eligibility, making the competition for spots on the field only more intense. Still, Delich is planning on improving, and knows the playing time will come with it.
“I’m really excited because it is going to be tough to get some playing time because their entire senior infield is coming back, but I think I will get to learn a lot from those guys,” Delich said. “A lot have been there for three or four years, so I just want to see what they can teach me.”
Baseball may be a way of life, but through the ongoing pandemic, Delich still has his priorities in order.
“This was going to be the last few months to spend with the people I grew up,” Delich said. “That is probably the most disappointing thing about all of this. We haven’t really been allowed to do too much. Here and there, me and Cal (Leonard) might come down, or I’ll hang out with one person every two weeks. For the most part, I haven’t been hanging out with anyone.”
Delich and his friends may be limited with their time physically, but there’s always a way to communicate in 2020. Throughout the break, Delich and his friends have been gaming a little bit more than the usual, and communicate over the gaming headset. And it may not be the same as getting a bite to eat, or playing catch, but at least it’s something.
“It fills the void,” Delich said. “It really helps you forget about what is going on.”
