Varsity Baseball Gameday | Wolverines vs Falcons by Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

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2026 SEASON SCHEDULE PREVIEW

WOLVERINES SET FOR FRIDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN AGAINST PALMER TRINITY UNDER THE LIGHTS

By Jason Vilberg

This Friday, February 27, the Belen Wolverines host the Palmer Trinity Falcons for a 6:30 under the lights thriller. The 8-1 Wolverines will start junior P Ernie Diaz on the mound for the second time this season. Another junior, however, has lit up the stat sheets. Miami commit

OF Jake Cueto has been absolutely electric all year, providing the Wolverines with both excellent defense and amazing batting. After a two home run game against Pace, Cueto looks to somehow improve his single game stat sheet against Palmer:

“Yeah I mean there’s always something you can do better even though you have a good game. You can’t really get caught up in the highs and lows, you just have to stay consistent with your routine and that’s just

how you improve: by keeping your head in the right place.”

With an attitude like that and a fierce home crowd, the Falcons have an upward hill to climb. The 5-2 Falcons are coming off back-to-back wins against Coral Glades and Goleman.

Led by senior SS Michael Miraglia and his twin brother C Nicholas Miraglia, the Falcons have started. While they may be twins, they’re playing style reflects that they’re fraternal rather than identical. While Michael is a menace on the basepaths and a quick arm, Nicholas hits home runs like its batting practice and provides excellent framing. The two very versatile athletes will prove to be a major roadblock for a Wolverines victory. Speaking on the unique

experience to compete at a brand new park, Michael said:

“What excites me most about playing at Belen is their brand new stadium. I’ve heard lots of good things about it and it’s really nice to play on a brand new turf field.”

With two great teams facing each other, it’s up to whoever wants it more for this nail-biting match up.

Yeah I mean there’s always something you can do better even though you have a good game. You can’t really get caught up in the highs and lows, you just have to stay consistent with your routine and that’s just how you improve: by keeping your head in the right place

-Jake Cueto ‘27

Then vs. Now: Could the 2026 Belen Wolverines Beat the 1927 Yankees?

By Jason Vilberg

On October 8, 1927, you’re sitting in the stands at Yankee Stadium watching the final game of the World Series. The crowd buzzes as Babe Ruth steps to the plate. A pitch comes in at 70 miles per hour, drawing gasps from the fans in attendance. That’s elite velocity. That’s power. That’s dominance. Now fast-forward nearly a century. Today, 70 mph is what a decent high school pitcher throws as a changeup. Nearly a century later, the peak of performance has become the norm -not just in the major leagues, not the minor leagues, not even in college baseball - but for mere teenagers struggling through pre-calculus. While thinking about this, the question of who would win in a one-on-one matchup couldn’t get out of my head. So, to answer the question on everybody’s mind: who would win in a World Series: the 2026 Belen Wolverines or the 1927 New York Yankees.

According to Orlando Montiel the answer

is obvious. “We’re obviously a very good team, but they’re fully grown men and it’d just be really hard to compete with that. I’d say we get a few hits and some runs, but anything beyond that’s pretty hard” He did concede, however, that against a team during the early days of the World Series, they’d have a better chance. “The 1903 Boston Red Sox team were pretty much playing a different game than us, so we’d maybe win against them.”

On the opposite side of the spectrum, P Jadiel Estrada says, “They historically did not face any velocity. They’re entire pitching staff threw 73 mph. Victor [Escobar] throws 90. Case closed, they can’t hit anything over 75 mph.” He credits Belen’s elite pitching, which he is a contributor of, to an overwhelming Wolverine World Series title. On top of this, Estrada added “If Victor pitches like he did against American Heritage, we perfect game them for sure.”

So, while opinions in the dugout are divided amongst the Wolverines performances versus

a former elite squad, there is no doubt that even the likes of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig would marvel at the behemoth that is the baseball team of the Belen Wolverines.

Q & A With Peter Lopez

By Joaquin Slavade

Stepping into a new high school as a freshman is already an intimidating and difficult process, and doing it on a varsity team is a whole new level. For Peter Lopez, a starting outfielder and stellar batter, that jump set the tone for the coming years of Belen Baseball — a tone built on trust, growth, and the team bonds that our Wolverine athletes pride themselves on.

At first, being the new kid on the diamond meant having to adjust more than anyone else in the program. Most of his teammates were older, more experienced, and already comfortable with their fellow brothers, as well as with the pace at which the Belen Baseball program runs.

However, that initial situation fueled Peter to prove himself. He was forced to mature faster, compete harder, and play at a level he never knew was even achievable.

“As a freshman, most of my friends were older than me. It was weird at first, especially when I had to adjust to the classroom as well, but as time went on, I became brothers with every single kid I have ever played with at Belen.”

As he pushed himself, he grew into a phenomenal player worthy of attention from outside programs. Peter’s dream was to play college ball, and throughout the highs and lows across seasons, the skills and strength he built during his time at Belen garnered attention from noteworthy schools — most notably, Xavier University.

“I have always wanted to play college baseball. When I got my first offer to play at Xavier my junior year, I was extremely excited and ended up deciding that Xavier was the best place for me.”

With his Belen chapter coming to a close, Peter leaves behind more than just stats in the record book; he leaves an example of a Wolverine who grew up fast, focused on his dream, and never lost sight of his love for the game. “I couldn’t be more excited,” he added, ready to fight one last time with his brothers and carry the community alongside his fellow Wolverines, just as he did as a freshman.