Photo by: DavidsonPhotos.com
'Cats to Square off in Wildcat World Series Saturday
11/4/2020 4:12:00 PM | Baseball
For the Davidson baseball team, this Saturday's Wildcat World Series will be a welcome return to normalcy in an otherwise abnormal year.
The Wildcats long ago implemented state and on-campus COVID-19 protocols into their daily life and have been practicing (mostly) as usual this fall. But following a season that was cut short, it's been nearly eight months since they've put on their game uniforms. That changes when Red meets Black at 12:15 p.m. Saturday.
"We get to wear our jerseys for something other than pictures," jokes pitcher Pete Bloomberg.
Wilson Field will be closed to fans due to COVID-19 regulations, but fans are encouraged to watch the scrimmage via a free live video stream on the Davidson Athletics Facebook page (here). In-game updates will also be provided on the team's Twitter page (here).
"It's been awhile since all of us have competed together in a game-like atmosphere where we're keeping score," says outfielder Ruben Fontes. "I think it will be a lot of fun."
The Wildcats will conclude team practice next week, and return to skill work before the semester ends. So while Saturday's seven-inning matchup does not mark the end of the fall season, it's something the players and coaches alike are excited about. And it's getting game-day treatment.
"We've had a good fall," says head coach Rucker Taylor. "It's been a unique couple of months, and there were some adjustments and newness to things, but we've gotten into a good rhythm. New guys are acclimated now, and some returnees have grown into new roles."
Taylor has seen a lot of growth from the beginning of workouts until now, and he likes the consecutive weeks of steady production he's seen.
"Not always perfect, but we've been pleased with the effort and focus, especially in the last month-plus," says Taylor. "We talk a lot about the idea of challenging yourself and practice shouldn't be easy or perfect. We've had some great responses to that individually and collectively, and it will help us in the spring."
Last spring, the Wildcats were 13-3 and off to their best start in the modern era when the season ended with a walk-off win over Duke. Davidson returns its weekend pitching rotation of Gabe Levy, Blake Hely and Alex Fenton intact, as well as numerous reliable bullpen arms such as Bloomberg and Bennett Flynn, who was named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American.
Fontes, the Atlantic 10's home run leader in 2019, returns to the lineup, as do six others who started at least in platoon roles. Outfielder Parker Nolan, shortstop Jacob Hinderleider and third baseman Alex Fedje-Johnson started all 16 games last year, and the pitching staff, which carried a 2.71 ERA — including 1.90 by the weekend starters — returns all but 8.2 innings of production.
A solid group of returners and the addition of promising freshmen has the Wildcats excited for what lies ahead.
"We are starting to see glimpses of the team that we could become," says Bloomberg. "I really like how everyone has really bought into the idea of getting better every single day, and I think if we continue to do that everything will fall into place come springtime."
The Wildcats long ago implemented state and on-campus COVID-19 protocols into their daily life and have been practicing (mostly) as usual this fall. But following a season that was cut short, it's been nearly eight months since they've put on their game uniforms. That changes when Red meets Black at 12:15 p.m. Saturday.
"We get to wear our jerseys for something other than pictures," jokes pitcher Pete Bloomberg.
Wilson Field will be closed to fans due to COVID-19 regulations, but fans are encouraged to watch the scrimmage via a free live video stream on the Davidson Athletics Facebook page (here). In-game updates will also be provided on the team's Twitter page (here).
"It's been awhile since all of us have competed together in a game-like atmosphere where we're keeping score," says outfielder Ruben Fontes. "I think it will be a lot of fun."
The Wildcats will conclude team practice next week, and return to skill work before the semester ends. So while Saturday's seven-inning matchup does not mark the end of the fall season, it's something the players and coaches alike are excited about. And it's getting game-day treatment.
"We've had a good fall," says head coach Rucker Taylor. "It's been a unique couple of months, and there were some adjustments and newness to things, but we've gotten into a good rhythm. New guys are acclimated now, and some returnees have grown into new roles."
Taylor has seen a lot of growth from the beginning of workouts until now, and he likes the consecutive weeks of steady production he's seen.
"Not always perfect, but we've been pleased with the effort and focus, especially in the last month-plus," says Taylor. "We talk a lot about the idea of challenging yourself and practice shouldn't be easy or perfect. We've had some great responses to that individually and collectively, and it will help us in the spring."
Last spring, the Wildcats were 13-3 and off to their best start in the modern era when the season ended with a walk-off win over Duke. Davidson returns its weekend pitching rotation of Gabe Levy, Blake Hely and Alex Fenton intact, as well as numerous reliable bullpen arms such as Bloomberg and Bennett Flynn, who was named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American.
Fontes, the Atlantic 10's home run leader in 2019, returns to the lineup, as do six others who started at least in platoon roles. Outfielder Parker Nolan, shortstop Jacob Hinderleider and third baseman Alex Fedje-Johnson started all 16 games last year, and the pitching staff, which carried a 2.71 ERA — including 1.90 by the weekend starters — returns all but 8.2 innings of production.
A solid group of returners and the addition of promising freshmen has the Wildcats excited for what lies ahead.
"We are starting to see glimpses of the team that we could become," says Bloomberg. "I really like how everyone has really bought into the idea of getting better every single day, and I think if we continue to do that everything will fall into place come springtime."
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