On Friday, Feb. 2, the Union University baseball team traveled to Young Harris College in Georgia to begin their season playing on Zell B. Miller Field. This consisted of a three-game series ultimately leaving the bulldogs with a 0-3 losing streak under their belts to start the season.
“I feel like as a team we had each other’s backs more so than the start of last year’s season opener,” Mitch Sisk, a senior business administration major and starter third baseman, said. “The product was not necessarily what we wanted obviously because it is the first series of the year, but there were some bright spots and dull spots of which we need to work on. Ultimately, I think it was good first look of the year, but we definitely have some things to improve on.”
The Bulldogs battled in game one against the Mountain Lions, but lost 2-5. Senior psychology major Sam Poindexter and sophomore business administration major Lane Evans were the losing pitchers, allowing five earned runs on 12 hits. Sisk carried his team offensively with the first home run of the season and accumulated the only runs scored during game one.
In game two on Feb. 3, the Bulldogs took a major hit losing 1-10. Junior engineering major Eli Snelson was the losing pitcher allowing 10 earned runs on six hits with no errors. In game three, the Bulldogs ended the game series losing 2-15. Sophomore exercise science major and transfer pitcher Noah Toney was the losing pitcher, allowing 15 runs on 18 hits with one error.
“One bad inning should stay one bad inning,” Poindexter said.
“It should not expand and take over the rest of the game. You have to stop the bleeding at some point,” Sisk said.
Both Sisk and Poindexter commended fellow teammates on how hard working and aggressive they were offensively and defensively at last weekend’s opening series.
The Bulldogs are in a season of transition as coach Casey McGehee starts his second season as head coach, working to change the atmosphere of baseball at Union.
“The culture is very different,” Poindexter said. “He pays attention to small details, which allows us to succeed when doing the bigger things, and brings a level of competitiveness we have not really had before, which makes us aggressive and eager to play ball.”
The Bulldogs will play their next game at 2 p.m. on Feb. 6 at Fesmire Field against Lane College in hopes of redeeming themselves and leaving with a victory under their belts.
“We are hungry,” Sisk said.