SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Summer and baseball have always seemed to fit together perfectly. For fans of the game, summer is a time to enjoy the sights, sounds and atmosphere of America's pastime. For college baseball players, it is a time for development. In summer 2015, 15 Santa Clara baseball players are competing for 12 different teams from the Bay Area to New England. The "All Summer Long" series, in its fifth season, chronicles these Broncos as they play in various summer leagues nationwide.
Michael Bono made six appearances and threw 3.0 innings for the 2015 Broncos in his first season at Santa Clara. The former 35th round selection of the St. Louis Cardinals (No. 1065 overall, 2014 MLB Draft) is spending his summer with the New England Collegiate Baseball League's Newport Gulls. As of Tuesday, Bono and the Gulls are matched up with the Ocean State Waves in the NECBL semifinal round. SantaClaraBroncos.com caught up with the rising sophomore to talk about the summer season and life on the East Coast.
Michael Bono – Newport Gulls – Newport, R.I.
SantaClaraBroncos.com (SCB): The Gulls were the first team to reach 20 wins in the NECBL this season. What has made the team successful?
Michael Bono (MB): Everybody on the team does a great job picking each other up. Pitchers are picking up the batters on nights that they're struggling and vice versa. There's good chemistry between each one of the players and everyone has the same goal of winning a championship.
SCB: What did you take away from your first college season that you have been able to apply this summer?
MB: Simply being mentally tougher. I had a rough first year and learning from those struggles has really been the key to me playing better out here in New England.
SCB: Your former Santa Clara teammate Jose Vizcaino, Jr. won an NECBL Championship with Newport last season. What did he tell you about playing baseball for the Gulls?
MB: Jose told me that it's an amazing place to play summer ball and that Chuck Paiva, the Gulls owner, is the man. He also showed me the ring he received and told me, "This is what you're gonna get."
SCB: Describe the atmosphere on home gamedays at Cardines Field.
MB: The atmosphere is great. The fans are very supportive of the organization. It's a family-centered event so you'll see all ages at the games. A lot of the kids are hanging around asking for autographs and talking with the players. Overall, it's an exciting and fun place to play.
SCB: What have you enjoyed doing away from the field in New England?
MB: On the off days it's been fun to check out the mansions and also hanging out at the beach with some of the guys on the team. I also went paddleboarding for the first time and had a blast.
All Summer Long 2015
Michael Bono
Check back with SantaClaraBroncos.com as well as Facebook and Twitter for more of the "All Summer Long" series.
