With the conclusion of the semester nearing, the Bat Govs are beginning their final preparations for the upcoming spring season.
The APSU baseball team held their annual Red and Black World Series from Nov. 5-7. The three-game set saw the red team come out on top in the first two contests, winning 11-1 and 11-8, respectively.
“The perspective we’re taking is that we’re thankful that we’ve been able to get a six-week segment in, and a couple of weeks before that,” Head coach Travis Janssen said. “We’ve been able to practice, and we’re thankful for our athletic department, our training staff and the people on campus that have made it possible for us to be able to practice and prepare for the spring.
“There have been some hurdles to go over and some different things, but the overall mood of the team and the program is that we are thankful that have been able to practice.”
The program was divided by each team’s respective captains: Sebastian Martinez and Garrett Spain chose for the participants for the black team, while athletes for red were selected by Austin Carder and Malcolm Tipler.
Game one saw the red team jump out to an early 3-0 lead, thanks to hits from infielders John McDonald and Malcolm Tipler. A home run from Ty Delancey doubled the advantage in the top of the third. Delancey would add another blast in the top of the sixth, which would eventually result in the game being called early due to the 10-run deficit.
Hayden Josephson took the mound on the winning side as a starter and produced the longest outing in his two-year Governors career. The Orangevale, Calif. native tossed four and one-third innings while only allowing one earned run.
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Red team would clinch the series during Friday’s match through a miraculous comeback. The opposition jumped out to a six-run lead by the middle of the fourth inning. Despite finding themselves in a 7-1 hole, the red team would battle back with a seven-run sixth inning to seal the 11-8 win.
Graduate hurler Tucker Weaver tossed two innings in relief to earn the victory, and credited the mindset of his teammates for the come-from-behind victory.
“[I] can’t give enough credit to the offense, always applying pressure, keeping the energy in the dugout; it’s something that we always have to strive for,” he said. “Especially with an even match up and a back-and-forth affair like we had today. [I am] really excited that the guys were able to put something together.
“It was a little more time than I was used to in between, but I stayed fresh enough to go back out. The defense was behind me to make plays, and we came out on top.”
Only three innings were played in the third and final game of the series due to pitching flexibility. No official score was kept for the contest.
The Governors will focus the following weeks towards strength and conditioning before their fall season ends for winter break. Expect to see the Bat Govs in action at Raymond C. Hand Park in February of 2021.
