Coach Dave Herrick says he has a gritty group of guys heading into this baseball season. His squad is aiming to take their league title and district title for the first time since 2008 this spring.

“The boys want to leave a legacy kind of like the football and the basketball teams both having really good years,” he said. “They’re kind of looking at it as their turn to represent the school.”

On top of athletic success, the boys have made a pact to aim for a 3.3 grade point average as a team this semester.

“It shows that the boys are willing to work in the classroom too which, as an educator myself, I love… I was saying a 3.0, but they went to a 3.3,” Herrick said.

The kind of team that plays for each other, he said the boys are working hard to make sure they have the stamina to last throughout those close games where one inning can mean a win or loss.

“The boys are on board,” Herrick said. “Anytime we have practice, the boys start running extra. They’re in the weight room.”

Oxford’s team-chosen captains this year are seniors Joe Good, Joey Miller and Ryan Upton. With their leadership, the boys are hoping to go the distance.

Two games they’re looking forward to along the way are the April 28 game at Jimmy Johns Field in Utica and their annual veteran support game on May 24 against Detroit Country Day. Both schools’ softball programs will also participate in the veterans’ game.

“This is the third year that we’ll be doing this and we donate and raise funds throughout the year,” Herrick said. “At this game we donate to a local veteran.”

The Wildcats took their first win of the season on March 27 when they beat Richmond 5-4. Oxford led the whole game with seven hits and though Richmond tried to stage a comeback in the seventh inning, the boys held onto their lead.

Senior Evan Brunning made a big play on a sacrifice fly that allowed Miller to cross home base. Junior Garett Hiler was another key player: He pitched two innings while only allowing one hit.

Behind the bat, Miller and junior Tanner Stokes led Oxford with two hits apiece.

In their first game on March 25, the Wildcats took a 10-7 loss to Avondale in what Herrick called a “hard fought” eight-inning game.

Oxford managed to tie the game in the sixth inning at seven points with four runs, but Avondale pulled away in the extra eighth inning. Throughout the night, Oxford made nine hits.

Brunning started at the pitcher’s mound and struck out four Avondale players while giving up five hits and four runs. Herrick said junior Cooper Schihl also threw well from the mound for a little more than two innings.

On the offensive end, Good and junior Drew Carpenter led the Wildcats with two hits apiece. Upton also made a big play when one hit earned him three runs battled in.

Now with an overall 1-1 record, the boys will be back at it when the host Troy Athens on April 9.