When it comes to balancing schoolwork during the baseball season, senior outfielder Jordan Marchitello will bring his laptop on roadtrips to stay ahead.

“Time management is key,” junior starting pitcher Anthony Garofalo said when referring to what helps baseball players balance school work and baseball during season. “It’s not easy to balance school and baseball. You have to make sure you’re ahead of your work. Baseball is an everyday thing and we are away a lot.”

The Pioneers baseball season started in late February when they took their spring break trip down to Florida, where they played ten games against various opponents. When the Pioneers got back from Florida, it was still spring break and they only had a few days before they got on a bus for another trip.

The Pioneers play in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and have to travel to Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana. That does not include the traveling they do for non-conference games.

A typical weekend for the Pioneers includes leaving early on Thursday for a bus ride to wherever they’re playing. They stay Thursday night, play two games Friday, stay Friday night and then play two more games Saturday and come home after and get home late Saturday night.

The coaches preach players need to stay ahead of their work and communicate with the teachers. To remain eligible to play in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, one must uphold at least a 2.0 GPA for their college career, and also accumulate the right amount of credits.

Senior outfielder Demetirus Moorer mentions how crucial and sometimes difficult it can be to work and communicate with the teacher.

He feels remaining on the “same page” with professors is one of the toughest parts of balancing baseball and schoolwork.

“You have to make sure you let the teacher know in advance about your trip and also understand that when you make up a test or other work, that it is also on their time, not just your own,” Moorer said.

The Pioneers also have games throughout weekdays that are at home and require missed class time, as well.

Freshman pitcher Nick Beardsley has found it to be simple, but only if he wants it to be.

“There will be times you procrastinate, but you just need to fight through that and stay on top of the work,” Beardsley said. “When we are in town, just get the work done and you can still be successful in the classroom.”

Although posing a struggle, students still find balance between schoolwork and sports. For updates and game times and locations for the baseball team, follow @PPUBaseball on Twitter.