by Jordan Houser
During spring break while most students were relaxing at home or enjoying the sun beachside, Capital University’s baseball team was starting their season off with a weeklong tour, competing in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.
After this trip and a busy schedule of 10 games in 7 days, the team posted an impressive 7 wins, including a 13-11 triumph over Adrian, the eleventh-ranked team in the nation. Other notable victories include games against Wabash (predicted to win the NCAC) and Georgian team Lagrange.
The team excelled offensively throughout their first 10 games, securing double digit runs in 6 games. This contributed to a 112 run total with 120 hits.
The young team, comprised of 24 sophomores, now returns to Ohio to start their season in full swing. The young age gives the team several more years to mature and hone their skills, but according to the sophomores, this time is something they intend not to waste – or even need.
“We’re not going to wait around ‘til next year, we want to win now. We’ve got the talent, so why wait?” Andy Grillo, outfielder and second year player, said.
In collegiate sports, there are years colloquially referred to as “building seasons.” These are years in which the majority of team is young and needs growth and development before being able to contend with the best of other teams.
The age of Capital’s baseball team in the 2012 season fits this profile quite well, but Head Coach Ryan Grice claims they’ve already moved past this stage.
“We feel like we should easily compete for the top four spots for the conference tournaments. We feel very comfortable saying that,” Grice said.
If they continue the playing they started during spring break, they should have no problem making their presence in the OAC known.
jhouser@capital.edu
