during an away game Feb. 1 against Blue Mountain College. | Submitted photo by Danny Mckenzie
The Bulldogs’ season opener, a double-header, took place across state lines in Blue Mountain, Miss., Feb. 1 against Blue Mountain College, with Union finishing 1-1 in the series.
Baseball season is finally here for our Bulldogs and expectations for the season, according to head coach Brent Fronabarger, are at an all-time high.
“I believe we have a chance to be really, really good,” Fronabarger said. “It just comes down to hitting and being able to pitch and pitch well — and our guys this weekend pitched real well.”
Colin Hatch, senior psychology major, the starting pitcher for the Bulldogs’ season opener at Blue Mountain College pitched five innings, facing 16 batters, allowing only two hits and giving up zero runs.
Unfortunately, in the first game the Bulldogs fell to Blue Mountain College, losing 3-4, playing a total of 11 innings.
“I really didn’t think it would be that close of a game,” said Hatch. “I thought top to bottom, we were the better team; talent-wise and on paper. But I think offensively, we didn’t start off like we wanted to and had a hard time executing when we had runners on base.”
However, the second game proved to be a different story with the Bulldogs beating Blue Mountain 5-2 in seven innings.
“In the second game we came out a lot stronger and our timely hitting was better, the pitching was better, we executed when we had runners on base and the guys brought the bats more the second game,” Hatch said.
The hitting started right away in the first inning with left fielder Hunter Smith who singled to left field allowing junior Caleb Warnimont to score the first run for the Bulldogs.
“The second game was a lot better. We hit better and I felt like we had a lot more intensity at the start of the game which carried through the innings,” said Drew Allen, senior intercultural studies major.
Freshman outfielder Parks Flowers, senior outfielder Wacey Russell and sophomore catcher Zach Wylie were the scoring Bulldogs in the second game.
Runs batted in are accredited to junior shortstop Michael Flores, junior outfielder Hunter Smith and junior first baseman Jim Martin.
The Bulldogs went 1-2 in a series against Lee University the weekend of Feb. 15-16.
The Bulldogs also dominated long-time rival Freed-Hardeman 14-4 on the road Monday, Feb. 17.