Baseball swings for ODAC title
by Lin Ross

With ODACs just around the corner, the baseball team is working hard to pull everything together after a rocky start to their season.

With few seniors, this year’s team is young. There are 12 new players, including two transfers and ten freshmen.

Head Coach Nick Boothe has tried something new this season. Rather than having the typical “two-captain” team, he has chosen eight leaders.

These guys are not necessarily seniors, but players who have shown three important qualities Boothe feels are significant in being a leader: initiative, maturity and responsibility.

Senior Mark Bushey, a team leader, said, “This new set-up is good because each of [us] has something different to offer as a leader to the team.”

In addition to Bushey, team leaders this season include juniors Kevin Flanagan, Mike Lee, Adam Leed, Chad Longe and Andy Wissinger, and seniors Aaron Wells and Jason Hetchkopf.

Boothe feels this new concept is working out well. Having several leaders gives younger players the option to talk with those who have more experience.

“Our younger players have improved their work ethic and are starting to show great improvements,” said junior Kevin Flanagan.

The team opened the season with a tournament in Atlanta that took place February 27-March 1. After a few losses, the team learned how it felt to be behind by a few runs, and how good it feels to come back around the corner and capture the win.

Junior Mike Lee said, “The team shows promise, but right now we are 13-15 and just haven’t been able to put it together yet.”

Learning to play with intensity will give the team a good chance at winning more games toward the end of the season and in the ODAC tournament.

This intensity has been lacking for the most part this season, despite a lot of talent on the team.

“With the players we have, we’re bound to pull out of [the slump] soon and with hard work we can only improve,” said junior Matt Apple. “Right now we’re taking it game-by-game and looking forward to competing in the ODACs.”

As ODACs approach, there are several players to keep an eye on: sophomore pitcher Brett Craun; juniors Flanagan and Andy Wissinger, both second basemen; junior right-fielder Shawn O’Dell; and junior center-fielder Adam Leed.

ODACs will be held at Lynchburg College May 1-3. Despite their overall record (13-15), the Marlins are currently 7-3 in the ODAC.

“We are really looking forward to getting our chance at winning the ODACs this season,” said Flanagan.