Moore Haven Terrier varsity baseball player John Wright is this week’s Big Lake Athlete of the Week for his performance in the Terriers’ 4-1 win over the Evangelical Christian Sentinels on March 8.

Wright pitched for all seven innings against the Sentinels, allowing only three hits and one run. Terriers coach Vernon Holland gave Wright credit for maintaining composure throughout the ups and downs of the Evangelical Christian game.

“John played an awesome game against ECS,” said Holland. “Pitching a complete game in high school is difficult, especially now with the pitch count rules. He had good command on his pitches and did exactly what he needed to do, produce ground balls and pop-ups that allowed our defense to back him up. As a young pitcher, kids tend to let little things affect them. Whether it be a hit, walk, hit batter or an error in the field, they tend to lose their composure for a little bit. No matter what the situation, John kept his head on and continued doing his job.”

Wright also played a big role on offense for the Terriers, with two hits and two RBIs.

“He came in clutch at the plate with two of the five hits we had for the night and helping extend the lead,” Holland said of Wright’s night at the plate. “This is a kid that puts in the work on his time as well, taking extra cuts in the cage and giving his all every day. That’s what it takes at this level.”

Holland says one of the strengths of his team this year are his pitchers. While he admits that there is always room for improvement, he says he’s confident in the work the pitchers are putting in and their ability moving on in the season.

“I set a goal for every single game and it’s very simple ­— one game at a time, one inning at a time, one out at a time, and one pitch at a time,” explained Holland. “This is a team that has been playing together since Little League and the hype about their ability is real. They have the talent and ability to beat any team in the district, as long as they put in the work and play clean. That’s where most teams have beat us so far; we had way too many errors. Clean that up and we’re in contention. I’m confident in this group and I want to show them that they can do it.”