Baseball / The Ultimate Teammate

The Ultimate Teammate

Date:  Source: NECBL: Valley Blue Sox
By: Connor McQuade
 
Among the Blue Sox who stormed the diamond following the final out of last year’s NECBL Championship Series against the Ocean State Waves was Riley Sorenson, a right-handed pitcher out of Merrimack College. 
 
Unlike most pig-piling on the Old Mountain Field pitcher’s mound, Sorenson was relegated to a support role, not having pitched for the Blue Sox in a month due to injury concerns.
 
Sorenson is no stranger to injury, having missed his 2017 collegiate season with Merrimack due to a surgical procedure on his right shoulder.  The Sandwich, Mass. native returned to his school team in a big way in 2018, posting a 2.25 ERA in nine appearances and 16 innings of work. 
 
His hallmark appearance came in a winner-take-all game for the Northeast 10 Championship against the University of New Haven, logging six innings of two-run baseball.  Sorenson earned the winning decision, propelling Merrimack College to its first conference championship since 1996. 
 
After finishing his season at Merrimack College, Sorenson headed an hour and a half west to represent the Valley Blue Sox.  He immediately noticed the sense of comradery and togetherness the Blue Sox had that other teams did not.
 
“It was a really great group of guys,” said Sorenson of his Blue Sox teammates.
 
“I didn’t know anyone coming in.  Many of us had didn’t know anyone else on the team. Despite that, we adjusted and became close very quickly.”
 
Unfortunately, while the Blue Sox raced to a 30-12 regular season finish, the right-hander wasn’t able to duplicate his spring success in the NECBL.  Shoulder fatigue issues would limit Sorenson to just four summer appearances, the last of which he logged on July 9th. 
 
Even when assured he wouldn't throw another baseball for the rest of the summer, Riley was willing to help his team succeed in any way possible.
 
The way summer ball works is this: if you are hurt and can no longer play, you leave your team and head home.  Without the ability to improve your game and effectively contribute at a high level, there is little incentive to stay with your summer team.
 
Riley didn’t see the situation that way.  Instead, he seized the opportunity he was given and supported the team from the dugout, staying with the team for entire month, riding every late-night bus and attending every team function.
 
“It was obviously not the result that I would have wanted, but I was still able to learn from it,” said Sorenson of his stay with the Blue Sox.  
 
“I was able to become a better teammate and learned how to be a better supporter throughout the process.”
 
Riley’s support and encouragement for his teammates didn’t go unnoticed.
 
“Riley’s a true team player and one of my favorite guys that I’ve had over the years,” said Blue Sox Head Coach and Director of Baseball Operations, John Raiola.
 
“While I’m sure he would be the first one to tell you that his summer didn’t go the way he would have hoped, he still chose to stick around and give up the rest of his summer in order to be around a special group of guys.”
 
Despite lacking an on-field presence for most of the season, Sorenson was still able to contribute to the team by encouraging and helping his teammates when they needed it most.
 
“It was a tremendous learning opportunity for him and an experience that is going to benefit him greatly as he moves forward in his career,” said Raiola.
 
When Raiola approached Sorenson about his baseball plans for the summer of 2019, the young pitcher was quick to commit to a second season with the Blue Sox.
 
“[Mackenzie Stadium] has such a great atmosphere.  I really enjoyed playing there in the summer,” said Sorenson.
 
“The fans are so great there, you always know that they will be coming and the ballpark will be filled each night.”
 
Another major factor in Sorenson’s desire to return was the bond he built with all of his “great teammates.”  He mentioned how quickly they were able to become comfortable with one another and how crucial the sense of togetherness was to their championship run.
 
“I know we’ll have a lot of new guys in 2019, but I’m still in contact with the guys from 2018 and I’m excited to continue to build these types of relationships and connections,” said Sorenson.
 
As for Raiola’s decision to invite Sorenson back for a second season, it was a no-brainer.
 
“We’re always faced with the decision of who to invite back the following summer, and that decision starts and ends with what type of person and teammate they are, said the two-time NECBL champion.
 
“Every player in our league has the talent to be there, but the ones who love the game and appreciate the grind of the summer are the ones we try to build around - that’s exactly who Riley is.”