2008 Woodie Awards
Newcomers show out for UTM
Zane Gresback
Issue date: 2/20/07 Section: Sports
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The UTM baseball team has opened the season playing at a Louisiana school the last three years and has yet to come away with a victory.
The 2007 version of the Louisiana swing was played at Southeastern Louisiana of the Southland Conference. The Lions dealt the Skyhawks their first three losses of the young season and outscored them in the series 32-7.
Despite the lofty scoring margin, the Skyhawks can take positives away from the opening weekend.
Head coach Bubba Cates managed to play 18 position players during the series. All 18 position players had at least one at bat, and 10 of 11 pitchers were used and worked at least one inning.
Going into the all-important OVC schedule, the Skyhawks can be confident that nearly every player has some game experience. That is a rare situation for any baseball team at this point in the season.
An area that the Skyhawks needed to address going into the 2007 season was outfield depth. Only one starter returned from last year's team. After the opening weekend, it seems the Skyhawks have found their missing outfield pieces. Newcomers Albert Destrade and Kyle Dudley combined to go 10-18 in the series. Destrade hit a lofty .571 in the series with 3 RBI. Dudley had six hits overall, hitting .545 and scored three runs. Dudley was among five players throughout the OVC considered for conference Player of the Week for his performance. The duo will continue to be counted on for offensive production as the season goes on.
A key fact not reflected by the box score at the end of the game is the lack of preparation the Skyhawks had before opening the season. The spring semester thus far has had inclement weather that has forced the Skyhawks to simulate situations indoors a majority of the time.
While Southeastern Louisiana had weeks of outdoor practice as well as four games played, UTM has struggled to get in season-like rhythm. Trying to execute all facets of the game against a quality opponent (the Lions beat nationally ranked No. 16 Tulane two out of three games to start the season) without much practice is never an easy thing to do.
An optimistic attitude is what the Skyhawks will need as they welcome the Bradley Braves to town this weekend. Bradley is also winless in 2007, dropping their opening two-game series at Belmont. Bradley is led on the mound by senior Michael Christl who returns after being drafted in the 26th round by the Boston Red Sox in 2006. Christl was roughed up in his first start of the season.
In only four innings pitched, Christl gave up six runs on seven hits in a 6-1 loss to Belmont. UTM won one of three games at home against Bradley last season.
Double-header action starts on Saturday, Feb. 24, at noon. The final game of the series is on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 1 p.m.
The 2007 version of the Louisiana swing was played at Southeastern Louisiana of the Southland Conference. The Lions dealt the Skyhawks their first three losses of the young season and outscored them in the series 32-7.
Despite the lofty scoring margin, the Skyhawks can take positives away from the opening weekend.
Head coach Bubba Cates managed to play 18 position players during the series. All 18 position players had at least one at bat, and 10 of 11 pitchers were used and worked at least one inning.
Going into the all-important OVC schedule, the Skyhawks can be confident that nearly every player has some game experience. That is a rare situation for any baseball team at this point in the season.
An area that the Skyhawks needed to address going into the 2007 season was outfield depth. Only one starter returned from last year's team. After the opening weekend, it seems the Skyhawks have found their missing outfield pieces. Newcomers Albert Destrade and Kyle Dudley combined to go 10-18 in the series. Destrade hit a lofty .571 in the series with 3 RBI. Dudley had six hits overall, hitting .545 and scored three runs. Dudley was among five players throughout the OVC considered for conference Player of the Week for his performance. The duo will continue to be counted on for offensive production as the season goes on.
A key fact not reflected by the box score at the end of the game is the lack of preparation the Skyhawks had before opening the season. The spring semester thus far has had inclement weather that has forced the Skyhawks to simulate situations indoors a majority of the time.
While Southeastern Louisiana had weeks of outdoor practice as well as four games played, UTM has struggled to get in season-like rhythm. Trying to execute all facets of the game against a quality opponent (the Lions beat nationally ranked No. 16 Tulane two out of three games to start the season) without much practice is never an easy thing to do.
An optimistic attitude is what the Skyhawks will need as they welcome the Bradley Braves to town this weekend. Bradley is also winless in 2007, dropping their opening two-game series at Belmont. Bradley is led on the mound by senior Michael Christl who returns after being drafted in the 26th round by the Boston Red Sox in 2006. Christl was roughed up in his first start of the season.
In only four innings pitched, Christl gave up six runs on seven hits in a 6-1 loss to Belmont. UTM won one of three games at home against Bradley last season.
Double-header action starts on Saturday, Feb. 24, at noon. The final game of the series is on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 1 p.m.
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