For the Catasauqua baseball team this past spring, it was more about the future instead of the present.

The Rough Riders finished with an overall 3-16 record, and will graduate four seniors but bring back 12 returnees.

As the Roughies’ inexperience continued to surface throughout the season, it became increasingly evident that it wasn’t about wins and losses. Instead, it was about development.

Freshmen second baseman Cody Roth and catcher/pitcher Joey Conway played a big part. Roth, who hit better than .300 most of the season, finished the year at .283 with six RBIs and 11 walks, while Conway was at .256 with 10 RBIs and nine walks. Conway also was 1-1 on the mound.

“Both of those guys helped us,” said Roughies’ manager Steve Bradley. “Cody really played a solid second base for us, and his bat was steady all season. Joey developed into a good catcher, and he also gave us some innings.”

Roth took the cue from his father, Eric, and invested in the game.

“I got started in baseball because my dad played it, and I enjoyed watching it on TV,” noted Roth. “My biggest influence is my Dad because he spends many hours practicing with me in the yard.”

Over the years, Roth has overcome his share of roadblocks, but is confident he can reach another level.

“My biggest obstacle was when I was 10-years-old and I broke my wrist, and couldn’t play for a whole season,” added Roth. “I have worked hard to become a better player. I don’t feel like I reached my potential it was my first year of seeing varsity pitching and I’m just getting started.”

As far as the past season, Roth knows there are plenty of positives ahead.

“The season didn’t go as well as we had hoped, but we still had fun and everyone kept a positive attitude,” said Roth. “I feel like we slowly improved as a team every week of the season.”

Conway ventured back into catching after a growth increase.

“In the pre-COVID year, I was a full-time catcher,” recalled Conway. “After the year off baseball my height was needed at first base, which I primarily played for the past four years,

“Catching came back to me naturally, and I really enjoyed being used in the catcher role. As far as pitching and catching went this year, I felt that I had very successful seasons from both positions. I threw six people out catching, and one of them being the stolen base leader in the Colonial League.

Like Roth, Conway is anxious for next season.

“I saw this season as a stepping stone for the future of Catasauqua’s baseball team,” stressed Conway. “We had a lot of young talent in the lineup and even with the young talent, we were still able to compete at the varsity level. I felt that the team gained a bunch of confidence over the last couple of weeks. We played like a team we never bring people down and we always picked everyone up from mistakes. I felt like that helped all of us bounce back from our struggles.”