Baseball team grieves for lost player, friend

Palmer Ridge High School’s baseball team canceled practice Tuesday to give his team time to grieve for their teammate killed in a car crash Monday morning.

The crash happened just before 1:15 a.m. Monday (9/1/14) at the intersection of Hodgen Road and Roller Coaster Road. That’s in northern El Paso County. Two passengers, 17-year-old Beau Begier of Monument and 18-year-old Ryan Pappas also of Monument, were pronounced dead at the scene.

This year would have been Pappas’ second year on the varsity baseball team. His teammates gathered on the baseball diamond Tuesday to talk about the tragedy. After, they hung a sign in the outfield with Pappas’ number. Two graduates who had played on the team with Pappas made the sign.

“We are going to play all of our games for Ryan and… It’s going to be rough, we are going to miss him a lot every time we look out here and look at the sign,” said seniorKurt Larson.

“It’s something we will be able to constantly look at, and see. Everyone on the field will always remember Ryan,” said coach Steve Whiting.

Teammates cried and hugged eachother in the outfield.

“I had found out from my mom who got a text from one of her friends saying it was a kid on the baseball team and it was like, ‘Really? Wow.’ It just hit me like a punch in the stomach. Nothing you expect to see at any time, with anyone and it sucked. There is no other way to put it, it sucked,” said senior Cole Huford.

“He is not going to be able to play on the field anymore. He isn’t going to be out here with us, that’s heart breaking to me. We love Ryan and we need Ryan. The world needed Ryan, he was just that kind of a kid,” said coach Whiting.

“There is no way I will ever stop missing him,” said Larson.

Whiting took a knee to address his team. His voice was thick with emotion as he talked to his players about Pappas’ death.

“I spend once the season starts probably three hours a day with them and you know it becomes an extended part of my family,” said Whiting.

“You could tell behind the sunglasses he was filled up with tears,” said seniorJake Gurbesic.

“It’s just as hard on him as it is on us,” said Larson.

Teammates took turns touching the sign in the outfield before meeting again for a huddle.

Pappas played second baseman and Whiting expected him to have a big year.

“He was always money every time a ball was hit to him. He always made a play, he always knew what he had to do,” said Whiting.

“He is going to be missed on all facets of the game and as a person,” said Huford.

The team also brainstormed other ways to remember Pappas. They are considering stitching his number on their hats or wearing T-shirts with his number under their jerseys.