By Cooper Chadwick
Junior middle infielder Carter Bengston is excited to see how McPherson’s new group of guys will compete this season.
“We have a ton of new players stepping up and we have put in a ton of work this offseason and I believe it’s going to show on the field. I have been in the weight room a ton working on rotational power and explosiveness. My teammates and I have been in the cages almost every day getting our swings ready,” Bengtson said.
To be prepared for his first year as an upperclassmen, Bengston made it a focus this offseason to improve on his hitting as well as base running.
“Last year I had trouble consistently hitting the ball hard so that was a big emphasis this winter. I have also been working on the mental side of the game. Making sure that when I have a bad game that I move on and learn from it. This season I would like to hit more extra base hits. I have been good at getting on base but hitting more doubles would allow my teammates to drive me in,” Bengtson said.
Bengtson has been on varsity since his freshman year, which has allowed him to understand the game better and teach the new guys what he knows so they all have a successful season.
“Our goal as a team is to compete at a high level and make it to the state championship. Since we graduated a ton of great seniors I have stepped up into a major leadership role for our team,” Bengston said. “Last year we got 3rd in the state tournament and that left a bad taste in my mouth. I want our team this year to play with the same energy and fire as last year to go all the way.”
