Everett High baseball coach Malik Love begins second year on the job with large turnout of eager players

Crimson Tide starts season later today (March 28) against non-league Mystic Valley in Malden

By Joe McConnell

Malik Love is starting his second year in charge of the Everett High School varsity baseball program, and he admits it’s much easier so far in practice. He knows his players, and they certainly know him and what they can expect from him and his staff much better.

In his first year, Love’s varsity squad ended the season with a 7-13 record.

“We have nine varsity players back from last year, and they definitely know our standards and expectations for them, which has made it easier for us to hit the ground running right away on the first day of practice,” said Love.

Practice began last week on March 17, and Love expects to carry 18 on the varsity roster, and half of that number will be seniors. He will also keep two juniors, six sophomores and one freshman on the big club to round it out.

“We had a real good turnout this year,” said Love. “There’s definitely more in the program since I’ve been here the last several years, and because of that, we are more competitive in many areas, with many fighting for at least several starting positions.”

Chris Miller is his assistant head coach, and Luis Luciano completes this year’s varsity staff as an assistant. Dave Peach is back as the program’s JV coach.

“Our strength this year is the team’s chemistry, and with it we have better communications on the field,” said Love.

Love credits the increased turnout to more seventh and eighth graders coming onboard after he went down to the middle school to encourage many to play. Peach will be the immediate beneficiary of that influx of young talent, as he gets his JVs ready to play on the varsity level in the future.

But on this year’s varsity team, Nordeivy, Santana, Jevaun Berberena and Albert Santana are Love’s captains, and they are three of his returning veterans, who should produce more winning results throughout the next three months.

Love scheduled only one scrimmage to get his squad ready for the season, and that was against Malden Catholic on March 26 after press deadline. The Tide will open up the regular season later today (March 28) against non-league Mystic Valley at Rotondi Field in Malden, starting at 4:30 p.m.

The Everett boys will then be at non-league Greater Lawrence Technical next Thursday (April 3), beginning at 4 p.m. They will begin the Greater Boston League (GBL) season at Chelsea on April 7, and then it’s off to Lynn’s Fraser Field to take on Lynn Classical the next day. Both games will also start at 4 p.m. The home opener at Glendale Park is scheduled for Friday, April 11, against non-league Charlestown at the same time.