Rams Reflect: Baseball's Charles Batchelder

Rams Reflect: Baseball's Charles Batchelder

The 2019 Rams Reflect is the fourth in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of Suffolk teams have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Suffolk. 

For a complete listing of past and present Rams’ Reflections, click here


Charles Batchelder | Hometown: Shrewsbury, Mass. | Environmental Science

Growing up, baseball was always something that I could turn to where I knew I was going to have fun not only playing the game but also interacting with others. The connections made, and the memories gained, while playing the game at every single level, is something that would not have been possible without my experiences at Suffolk University. 

During my time in high school, I was lucky enough to play both football and baseball at the varsity level for at least two seasons. Although I enjoyed playing football, I had more interest and love for the game of baseball. Unfortunately, my freshman year of high school I was cut. I was not sure if I would even continue trying to play at the high school level. Luckily, I made the high school roster the following three years and began to believe that there was a chance I could at least pitch at the next level. Coach DelPrete, the baseball program, and Suffolk University gave me the opportunity to play at the next level. 

Suffolk University was my school of choice because of the opportunity to further my education in the field of environmental science, compete at a collegiate level, and live near my home in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Going to Suffolk University also presented me with an opportunity that I could not have gotten anywhere else. This being the opportunity to live and attend school in a city, specifically right in the middle of Boston. The past four years have provided me with relationships, memories, and lessons that I will be able to carry on the rest of my life. 

Within my academic department I was able to create relationships with the faculty and students that will last long after graduation. The faculty was positive influences on my peers and I, guiding us in the right direction both academically and as young adults entering the next stage of our lives. I cannot thank them enough for the work that every professor has put in to prepare me for life after Suffolk. Whether their difference has been made through character development in class or by providing networking opportunities for future employment, their impact has been substantial. The students and faculty in the Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability (CUES) created a motivating and challenging environment through coursework and interaction which I feel will benefit my peers and me as we move to the next stages of our lives. 

Lastly, baseball and the athletic department were a major component to the experiences that I had here at Suffolk University. I spent far more than half of my time within their athletic facilities. I was lucky enough to enjoy a brand-new fitness center and varsity weight room. I could not have asked for a better place for my teammates and I to prepare ourselves for the season. In four years, I was also able to experience three conference championships which would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work put in by every member of the coaching staff. I can also not thank each of the coaches enough for the way that they have developed my teammates and I as players, but more importantly, as people over our four-year career. 

There is a not a single thing that I would change about my experience at Suffolk University. Every single experience that I had during my time here has helped mold me into who I am today. I would like to thank Suffolk University, every faculty member, and student that has been a part of my four-year college career.