-A NE W PERSPECTIVE

An Injury Caused A Different Outlook On Baseball

Coming into his first seasonas head coach, Jim Toman ledthebaseball team and helped setnew records, including thehighestwinning percentageinMay.

Reaching the point of victories did not come easy for allof the players

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WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE?

After adisappointing knee injury,Senior Tyler Light took a different perspective onthe game of baseball

Light tore hisACLandmeniscus playing basketball his Senior year of high school, costing himthe majority of the basketball season andthe entire baseball season.

Light hadtolearn howto overcome thisinjury

"More than anything [patience] iswhat I had to learn,especially with that injury,"hesaid."It was something that was going to take time nomatterhow hard I pushed itorhowhard I wanted it to heal."

"The biggest learning experience I haveacquired through sports is tonever think too much aboutthe negativethings and alwayslearn from past failures."

- Jeff Jefferson SO

Light hadchosen thiscollege before his injury occurred Healways wanted toplay collegiate baseball for a Division-I school,butbeing from Los Angeles, hadnever heard of our school. After his dadsent himto a baseball camp here, he decided "itseemed likea unique place."

Teammate Andrew Wilson said, "[Light] has contributed to the team by being a key reliever.He has come out of the bullpen and helped our team winbig games."

Hecamehereasafreshmanhurtandrecoveringfrommajor surgery Hehadhissecondstartayeartothedayofhissurgery

"After losing everything andhaving to sitout, it kind of put things in perspective for me, realizingGod needs tocome first in my life,"Light said "Itturned my world upside down I learned a lotfrom it and to this dayI want to beknown asa Christian first and a baseball player second It'ssomething I do; It's not who I am I don't think I would have ever learned that had I notlearned it the hard way."

Junior Kenneth Negron steps up to the plateto bat against his opponent Junior Kenley Teufel said "I enjoy going to baseball games because I liketo go and encourage my brother who plays on the team Baseball games have been watched inmy house ever since I was a child, soI somewhat understand whatthe game is all about Plus,it's agood chance to socialize with friends while supporting the team."

From lefttoright senior David Giammaresi, junior TylerLight, sophomore Errol Hollinger and junior Cody Brown bow their heads inunision for prayer before the game begins Pitcher Joe Steinwedell, a senior, said "Our team goal for thisyear is to win our conference andgo toa regional and hopefully beyond that Last year was disappointing losing inthe finals to Coastal but we have a lotofnew faces thisyear that willhelp usto victory."

Catcher Errol Hollinger ajunior, hurries to gettheball inhopes tostop Virgina «f Tech from scoring Junior Naomi Rivera stated "I usually attend thebaseball games with my fiance Matt, who is a huge baseball fan.He often has to fill me inon what's going on since I prefer the social excitement ofthe games The lights are agreat addition and make evening games a fun alternative"