Baseball Team Builds for Future

Crash of the bat, smell of the field, cheer of the fans. It must be time for baseball at LBCC.
This season, the head coach of Linn Benton's mens baseball team Greg Hawk will be leading a new group of players on the path to the NWAACC championships. With a team filled with freshmen, and already two losses on this season's record, the players have their work cut out for them.

This year's roster only has seven returning players from last year. The other twenty-four players are new to the Roadrunners' line-up. So far this season has had a "slow start" according to Coach Hawk. With numerous injuries and bad weather this Spring, the players have not had the time to practice as a team.

LB has the means to play a great season. Starting in September, potential players are trained for the upcoming Spring season. In November, the regimen turns to weight training. Paired with the training are classes that teach playing skills, techniques and ethics of the sport. Greg Hawk states the game teaches players skills that can be used as life applications.

The roster is made up of players that have been "scouted" from high schools and other teams. Walk ons and tryouts are rare if even possible. So the team does have the talent. It's just a matter of getting everything together. Past players have even gone onto play in more professional programs such as the Corvallis Knights. Pitchers Liam Baron out of Gonzaga and Trevor Smith from U of O have played for LBCC and then onto the Knights.

Before official league games started, LB's team played 14 preseason games. The first game was played March 6 this year. For the remaining 30 games, coach Hawk and associate coach Harvey Miller hope to get the roster playing together as a unit.

The season plays out till May 20 with games at starting at 1 PM. With seven home games left, students and fans can take the opportunity to cheer on the Roadrunners as they set their sites on the championship in Longview, Was. The NWAACC starts on May 27.

No matter how this season turns out, Hawk believes that next season will be even stronger. If this season turns out well, there is no telling how far the experienced returning players will take LBCC's men's baseball team next season.
(At a Glance Linn-Benton Mens Baseball; Roadrunners; Season March 6 through May 20; Season record so far 4-18)