Quigley strides towards college ball

Golden Arm-- Senior starting pitcher Brendan Quigley winds up before throwing a pitch to catcher Joey Nadel during a game against Platt (Meriden, Connecticut) last season where they fell 5-4.

Nancy Duffy

Golden Arm– Senior starting pitcher Brendan Quigley winds up before throwing a pitch to catcher Joey Nadel during a game against Platt (Meriden, Connecticut) last season where they fell 5-4.

Brendan Quigley, Staff Writer

Starting varsity pitcher senior Brendan Quigley aims to lead this year’s baseball team to success before moving up to play at the collegiate level next year.

Quigley has been playing baseball for as long as he can remember. He began playing at the age of six, playing t-ball and then further progressing up through little league. After reaching the varsity level, Quigley knew he wanted to continue playing into college.

“I have always wanted to play baseball after high school, but I became serious about pursuing this dream after my junior spring season,” Quigley said.

Last summer, Quigley played for the Connecticut Blue Jays Elite team which allowed him to come in contact with many Division I and Division II coaches. After receiving interest from numerous colleges and going over his options, Quigley has decided to attend Salisbury next year in hopes of furthering his ability.

“I will be doing a post-graduate year at the Salisbury School so I can further develop physically, this extra year will allow me to be more prepared for college baseball,” Quigley said.

Last season, Quigley posted a record of 5-2 in games in which he started and had an earned run average of 2.95. Junior teammate Pat Arnold thinks highly of Quigley and believes he can go on to do special things at the collegiate level.

“Quigley really dominated the mound last year, commanding the strike zone with fastballs and getting hitters to wave at his curveball. We definitely would not have made it to the playoffs without him. This year he brings the same assets to the table, only better than before,” Arnold said.

Quigley will look to lead the team this year and is returning as their number one starting pitching option.

“Towards the middle of the season last year, I transitioned to the number one role, so I feel pretty comfortable about being in that spot. For me, being the number one pitcher motivates me to really bring my ‘A’ game every time I step onto the mound,” Quigley said.

High school and Connecticut Blue Jays coach Mike McGuire thinks highly of Quigley and believes he is a crucial part of their upcoming season and that he has a promising future in baseball after developing as a player and leader.

“He has gone from an average player, to a leader and an elite high school player. He is our leader on the mound in 2017. We will go far, if he does what he is capable of doing,” McGuire said. Quigley is excited for this upcoming season and feels he can help lead the team to a successful season. He also hopes to have a record year and finish off his high school career on a high note before heading off to Salisbury to further his ability.