Club baseball team ready to start spring season – head to Moab
The Utah State University club baseball team is ready to start off the season in warm weather. Its first games will be this weekend at a tournament in Moab.
The team will be playing Weber State Friday afternoon, and will then play both Weber and Colorado Northwestern on Saturday. Sunday morning the team will wrap up the tournament with one more game against the Wildcats.
“We have been inside hitting in a cage,” Head Coach Ernie Rivers said. “We practice in the Fieldhouse and at the Logan Recreation Center. This team will do pretty well. It would be nice to start off with three wins.”
There are eight players returning from last year. Four are field players and four are pitchers.
“Rich Hansen is a catcher and was an All-American last year. Mark Larsen is an outfielder and led the nation in homeruns last year. Jason Clark is more the vocal leader,” Rivers said.
Shaun Robinson is the closing pitcher from last year. He usually only allowed one run per game when closing in the fall, Rivers said.
Jonathan Swenson will lead off, Rivers said. He led the team in runs scored and was third in homeruns in the fall.
“The lead hitter sets the tone by getting on and stealing or by striking out. Swenson is probably the fastest guy on the team,” Rivers said.
Brothers Shule and Jarom Bishop tried out for the team this year. Rivers said they will contribute highly. Shule is a second baseman and Jarom is an outfielder.
“There is lots of talent, and it is hard to single out players,” Rivers said.
Rivers said the team is made up of 30 players.
During the fall season, the starters play about half the game and then opportunities are given to other players to further their experience.
The team belongs to the National Club Baseball Association according to the team’s Web site.
There are only three teams in the Aggies’ conference, Boise and Weber. During the fall season the Aggies went 3-3 against Weber.