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08/12/2021 12:00 AMDom Carpenter got everything that he wanted out of his senior season with the Morgan baseball team in the spring. This summer, Dom has made more memories while competing for the Clinton Huskies AAU squad.
A senior captain first baseman, Dom led Morgan to a 12-10 record that included a win in the Class M State Tournament during the 2021 spring season. Dom finished his senior year with a .280 batting average, 31 RBI, and nine stolen bases for Morgan.
When the high school season was done, Dom suited up for the Clinton Huskies AAU team that competes in the East Shore Travel League. Dom helped Clinton post a regular-season record of 9-8-2.
“This was, by far, my best season of baseball,” says Dom. “Both high school and summer went very well, and I also enjoyed the bond I had with my teammates. This was the most close-knit team I’ve ever played with.”
Dom has been playing baseball since he was four years old. He’s always liked the fact that baseball is a sport in which a game is never truly over until it’s over.
“My dad and I bonded over it when I was young, and I’ve stuck with it ever since,” Dom says. “The competitiveness of the game has always been my favorite. You are never out of a baseball game, no matter what the score is.”
Dom met Clinton Huskies Head Coach Willie Fritz when trying out for a Little League team as a child. While Dom struggled at times when he first started playing, Coach Fritz still believed in him. Dom says that Fritz will always have a special place in his heart.
“Coach Fritz has been like a second father to me,” says Dom. “He never gave up on me, even when I looked like a lost cause. He kept me working and helped me become the player and man I am today.”
Fritz has enjoyed every second that he’s spent working with Dom through the years. Fritz appreciates all the effort that Dom has put in on his road to becoming a solid ballplayer.
“As a young player, Dom was very raw, but always a great kid who loved the game and his teammates. He has worked so hard to make himself a better player and become a leader that the younger boys look up to,” Fritz says. “Dom picks guys up when they struggle and gets on guys that may have lost focus. Dom is one of my favorite players ever, and I’m going to miss him.”
Dom had missed out on his junior season in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Dom stayed focused and did everything that he could to prepare himself for a successful 2021 campaign.
“I wouldn’t say I was worried. I was just fearful I was going to miss my senior season,” Dom says. “But I kept on working regardless of if we were going to play or not.”
Dom’s ultra-competitive spirit motivated him to improve his game. Dom and his friend Mike Zingarella regularly attended Batter Up in Guilford throughout the spring season. Dom saw his hard work pay dividends as he turned in a quality senior year for a solid Morgan squad.
“I practiced a lot. I was at Batters Up in Guilford with one of my good buddies every day for at least four months straight,” says Dom. “We stayed in the cage for hours just mastering our crafts.”
Dom will be embarking on a new journey when he joins the United States Army later this month. After he completes his service requirements, Dom is planning to try to play baseball in college.
“When I get back, I’m definitely going to try and go play baseball somewhere. I just don’t know where yet,” Dom says. “The motivation for joining the Army was definitely the free schooling, but my dad was in the Air Force and, ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to serve. I’m excited to see what the future holds.”