University's baseball team had been through a lot this season.

The Trojans had put in a lot of hard work and there had been plenty of challenges for the squad during the season.

University won 11 out of its last 13 games and finished second in the Pacific Coast League.

So when the final out was recorded and the Trojans had lost to Quartz Hill, 3-1, in nine innings in the opening round of the CIF Division 3 playoffs Friday, the players took the loss hard, some unable to hold back tears.

The season began with doubt over when Coach Chris Conlin would join the team. After battling neck cancer, Conlin returned and has since received a clean bill of health.

It ended with one of the players on the team, senior Zach Christy, recovering from surgery. Christy, who was also the starting quarterback for the Trojans, returned to provide moral support for his teammates.

"Zach Christy had an operation and every kid on our team drove 25 miles to see him (in the hospital)," Conlin said after Friday's loss. "It's more than a team, it's a family and the kids were just always picking each other up.

"Obviously, we had a lot of life things that happened this year and the kids were always there to pick each other up."

Christy, after the game, said he had the operation on April 20 to correct an irregular heart beat.

"I was there (in the hospital) for five days and I had teammates there every day," Christy said. "It was great."

Christy is on his way back.

"But I feel pretty upset that we lost," he said. "But physically I feel great."

Christy credits his teammates for his recovery.

"That's what picked me up the most, just seeing them there really inspired me to get back and be with the guys as soon as I could," he said. "After long days at the hospital, when they came by, it was a nice break and you kind of forget where you are and you just hang out with your friends."

Christy said he hopes to play football again next year.

Related: