On Feb. 1, the Bison baseball team will open up their season against Missouri Western State University at Jerry Moore Field.
Coach Patrick McGaha said the team worked really hard in offseason, and his main goals for the team are to represent Harding well, compete hard and play the game.
“In the fall we worked out five days a week, three of them at 5 a.m., on top of practice everyday,” senior pitcher Cameron Walker said.
McGaha said with 24 full team practices in the fall, they maxed out their time together to prepare for this season.
Missouri Western’s baseball team is ranked No. 17 in Division II collegiate baseball. Senior first baseman Matt Calhoun said the team will be a good opponent, and he predicts it will be a close-scoring game.
Walker said his goal for the team this season is to work on a day-to-day basis and to stay grounded.
“I would like to see everyone play for the guy next to them and not for themselves,” Walker said.
McGaha said the first game of this season is the earliest the team has ever started. According to the NCAA, the first Saturday in February is when the season is allowed to begin, and this year the first Saturday falls on the first of the month.
McGaha said this season the team is full of hard workers who do their best when challenged. He said he is very pleased with how they have responded in the offseason practices.
McGaha said the seniors are stepping up this season. He said the team is a family, and as a coach he wants to see them believe in the program, build bonds and encourage each other.
With 10 seniors on the team, McGaha said he is expecting a lot from them this season. He also said they preach to the team about doing things the right way even when not on the field, and he is expecting big things from them.
“We have high expectations to accomplish uncommon things for this season,” Calhoun said.
