Baseball
2009 Bethel Baseball Preview
Article by Aaron Bontrager
Spring can’t come soon enough for most of us. This is definitely true for the Pilots’ baseball team, who has been cooped up in the dog days of winter. Off season training is going well, but they are ready for the season to start.
“Training is going well; all the guys are putting in a tremendous effort towards making us a better team, said junior outfielder, first basemen, and catcher Tony Bruns. “However we are starting to get a little cabin fever and we are more than ready to get outside.”
Senior ace pitcher and first basemen Chad Emberton has been ready for a while. He wants to end his career on a high note. “I have been ready since our last game ended,” stated Emberton. “I have been playing baseball since I was 5 years old, so baseball is my life. Going in to my last season I want to go out on top and leave a lasting impression on Bethel baseball.”
The Pilots will be outside real soon as they open the season with trips to Wilmore, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee. They will be taking on Asbury College of Kentucky on Friday Feb 20 and then the next day, Feb 21, they will follow up with a doubleheader. The following week they will be in Nashville to take on Trevecca Nazarene University. They will play one game on Feb. 27 and then a doubleheader on Feb 28.
Over spring break the men will be in action in Clearwater, Florida. A stretch of 12 games in six days. The team is at a slight disadvantage due to the Indiana weather, but the Pilots will battle through it.
"We are at a disadvantage being up in the North,” said Emberton. “We have to go straight from the hard gym floor to the grass and dirt. Not an easy transition to make but our coaches have not only prepared us physically but mentally as well. It gets tough practicing indoors for 5 months, but it is something we have to fight through.”
The team says it is up to the challenge and ready for the weather down south. “We are all a little tired of the snow and ready to go down south and start to play and put what we have been working on for the past year basically to work, and see how we do,” added Sophomore infielder Mike Green.
This season will be an interesting year for the program. They came off a solid year last year finishing 29-25 and earning a bid in the NCCAA National Tournament. They will be looking to build last year’s success.
Emberton sees the team goals as winning the MCC Conference Title, advancing to the NAIA Regionals, and the NAIA Nationals. He sees the key to getting there taking it one step at a time.
“One of the keys to this upcoming season is to take this season one game, one inning, one out, and even one pitch at a time, declared Emberton. “It is very easy, in this game, to let the game get away from you.”
The Pilots also see their pitching being a key barometer of their success as well. “I think that the biggest key to our season will be the pitching, if the pitching is there then we are going to be fine,” confirmed Green. “But also everyone has to do the little things and stay focused on what we are trying to accomplish as a team, and if we all go out there day in and day out and play hard then we are going to do just fine this season.
Another key to the upcoming season is getting the younger guys on board. “One the key factors to this season will be getting our young guys hitting the ground running,” added Bruns. “Unfortunately we go straight from hitting indoors to 80 degree weather in Florida so the learning curve is really small for the freshman.”
Bruns says he sees the progress and growth of the new and young guys. “We also have a lot of new guys that through out the off-season have really bought into what bethel baseball is all about,” exclaimed Bruns.
Leadership will likely come from the three seniors, Emberton, second basemen Cameron Branock, and third basemen Nelson Sanchez. “We all came in together as freshman and it's been a pleasure playing with them all 4 years,” added Emberton.
The team says it geared up for another season of Pilot baseball. They really look forward to the fans support. “We would all like to bring out a lot of fans out to our games for support, confirms Emberton. “This is one of our best teams in my four years of playing here. So all you fans that are reading this, come support the Bethel College Baseball team as we make a run for a ring in the spring! To God be the glory!”
The first chance to catch the Pilots at home in Jenkins Stadium is Thursday March 21. They host a doubleheader against Siena Heights University.
Fans should expect a competitive and hard working team that represents Bethel College uniform proudly. “They will take the field everyday and play the game extremely hard,” said Head Coach Seth Zartman. “They will see a very competitive group day in and day out as we make a run for the post-season.”
