Team steps up to plate

Conference began last weekend for the baseball team, beating Sul Ross University at Saturday’s doubleheader.  The Cru’s record is 14-3 overall and 3-0 in the American Southwest Conference West Division conference.

In the midst of losses against the University of the Ozarks Feb. 29 and March 1, the team continues to build on  its past experiences to train for the championship tournament in April.

Junior pitcher Hunter Hawkins said the team wasn’t fully prepared for certain conditions, like poor field quality in the game against the Eagles. He doesn’t believe the defeats will have a negative effect on the team’s future performances.

“The first loss hurt pretty bad,” he said. “But we can always take something positive away from it. We can remember how much it stings to lose and use that as motivation to win.”

The team suffered additional setbacks, including multiple rainout and minor injuries. The Cru is thankful for continual support from fans.

“It’s nice to see people come out for our games,” he said.

Hawkins is also happy with the accomplishments the team has made so far this season.

“We have a lot more work to do, but we’re better off than any year before,” he said. “We go into every game knowing we’re going to win. We have no doubt we can put up a lot of runs.”

The Cru’s continuous hard work and confidence are  large factors in its success, but the squad’s unity has also played a role.

Senior catcher Adam Froeschl said, “We have very good team chemistry . . . . Our offense has been doing a good job scoring runs, and our defense and pitching have been solid.”

Froeschl leads the squad with a .485 batting average and 32 hits. He believes the Cru is well rounded.

“We have a team that combines talent, depth and experience,” he said, “all of which combined, have the propensity to lead to success.”

On the defensive side, freshman Jared Hopper played eight innings, gaining his first collegiate win.

Aggressive mound work has been a large component in the Cru’s recent victories.

 Head Coach Micah Wells said the team’s greatest struggle will be remaining concentrated through the last game.

He said, “We have to be to be able to focus and not get ahead of ourselves, remembering what our goal is, which is to keep playing so we have a shot at the conference tournament.”

The Cru, undefeated in conference, will travel to Abilene to play Hardin-Simmons March 14.