As seniors celebrate the end of their high school career, the job’s not quite done for our Crusader athletes as the Varsity Baseball squad and—more specifically—Nate Kemp gear up for the postseason ahead. 

Up to this point, it has been a great year for the Crusaders despite a less than ideal start for the team. Now riding on the momentum of a 15 game unbeaten streak, this battle proven squad has managed to demonstrate their greatly improved side just a little while after their 2-3 losing record in March. In fact, it’s the longest win streak in the history of the program, which is just another accolade for St. Dominic athletics this year. With the team currently holding the best Crusader baseball record in school history the postseason has never looked more promising. With their defense and offense clicking on all cylinders, this team is ready for districts and beyond. 

After speaking with Senior starting pitcher Nate Kemp, he claimed it was the team’s two-way play style that contributed to their success. 

“I think our lineup can tear up any team’s ace, and our pitchers can compete against just about any school. Overall, I’d say our biggest strength is our ability to dominate on both sides of the ball” Kemp said. 

There is no doubt that pitching has played a crucial role in the team’s biggest wins, but it doesn’t take too long to realize that Kemp himself is responsible for such a strong rotation this year. Not only does he lead the St. Louis area in strikeouts tallying 84 at the end of the regular season, but he currently has a 6-0 record when on the mound, and a 0.88 ERA that puts him into elite company in the state of Missouri. 

After suffering an injury in tryouts last year, Kemp has been determined to come back stronger than ever, using his last season in blue and white as a motivator for his success. 

“It’s my first real chance to prove myself at the high school level, and that means the world to me. I want to demonstrate to not only everyone following what I’m capable of, but also myself” Kemp explained. 

However, as senior year winds down, the member of the class of 2022 has been left with other things to reflect on throughout the season. There are a lot of memories associated with high school sports for any athlete, and while Kemp has experienced all the lows of injury over the years, he has also been there for all the good times. 

“I’ll miss all the friends I’ve made these past four years. My boys at the senior level have been in this together for almost half a decade now, and the young guys who are on varsity for the first time this year have joined in. That culture we’ve built has definitely contributed to our success as a staff this season” Kemp stated. 

Overall, Kemp is determined to go out with a bang during his senior season. Playing after graduation is just another obstacle for this seasoned senior to overcome.

“I think it’s always in the back of my head when I’m on the mound. Subconsciously, I think I recognize this is it and that I need to take advantage of this last season. It also makes the season that much more meaningful because it’s not an opportunity I will ever get again” Kemp mentioned. 

Before playing as a Miner at Missouri S&T next season at the collegiate level, Kemp clearly has a few more things to prove as a Crusader, and the rest of his team couldn’t agree more. The postseason is set to begin this Monday 5/16 as the Crusaders will matchup against North Point, a team which they beat by a margin of 13 runs during their last meeting in late April. There’s a long road ahead, but with a team this hot, a state title is never out of the picture.