Baseball goes throwback this weekend

by HAZEL HALLIBURTON asst. copy editor

The heroes of Harding’s baseball past won’t be coming out of a cornfield this time, but from all over as the annual Alumni game takes place at the Jerry Moore Field this weekend. Every year Harding invites past baseball players, coaches and managers back to the school to play in a baseball game during Harding’s Baseball Alumni Weekend. Coach Patrick McGaha, head baseball coach, said that this game is a really good time for the past players and staff to reconnect with each other and have fun. The matchup tomorrow starts at 10 a.m. and will consist of alumni baseball players only.

“I think they enjoy it because it lets them come back and see all of the new facilities, the changes and meet the new players on the baseball team,” McGaha said. “I think the alumni enjoy it mostly because it allows them to reconnect and spend time with each other. They get to see people they haven’t seen in a long time.”

Shane Kinnear, redshirt freshman outfielder, has a father who used to play on the team as well, who is coming back to participate in this year’s game.

“I think it’s fun and I enjoy it,” Kinnear said. “It’s fun to get to watch him relive his old glory days with his teammates.”

McGaha said that they had hoped to put together a special baseball game for just the 1985 and 1986 Harding University baseball teams, but were not able to do so this year. According to McGaha, currently 24 alumni have signed up to participate in the game this year, although they are expecting to have about 30 alumni players on Saturday for the game.

This year the baseball team will honor coach Dick Johnson and the 1985 and 1986 baseball teams. Both of these baseball teams won the NAIA District 17 Tournament Championship and went on to play in the Area V Regional Tournament, making them the only teams to do so in Harding’s history, a record that both teams still possess. This year’s Baseball Alumni Weekend will also serve as the 25th year reunion for these two teams. The team players of ’85 and ’86 will be recognized and introduced during the halftime show of the Bisons’ home football game against Southwest Oklahoma State University on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m.

Also taking place on campus during the alumni weekend will be a golf tournament on Saturday for the incoming alumni at The Course at River Oaks. Then later Friday evening the baseball department will hold its 2012 Bisons in Game Two of their Black and Gold Fall Series at the Jerry Moore Field at 6:30 p.m. and another game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m, also at the Jerry Moore Field.

All alumni are welcome to come out to watch and support their fellow classmates at this special event.

Let the madness begin MARCH MADNESS PREDICTIONS IN OCTOBER

Nathan Ramirez

Guest Space

With the first week of the official college basketball season start behind us, it is never too early to begin looking toward March Madness. So, I am going to give you my top five teams to contend for the national title this year.

Lead by first team All-American Jared Sullinger and versatile guard William Buford, the Buckeyes look to finally take home the hardware this year. In addition to Sullinger and Buford, the Buckeyes will rely on tough-nosed point guard Aaron Craft and some key role players to get them a shot to play for the national championship. The biggest struggle with the Bucks is lack of depth. If injuries become a facto, look for Ohio State to be left out of national contention talk.

Returning starters Harrison Barnes, John Henson, Tyler Zeller and Kendall Marshall should be of great comfort to Head Coach Roy Williams as he looks to climb out of his slump and reach the Final Four for the first time since 2009. Add in a player like James McAdoo and it’s easy to see why the Tar Heels will make a strong run at their sixth national title.

As much as I hate to put them in this list, it’s hard to leave off a team that went to the Final Four last year, will return several key players and will once again bring in one of the best recruiting classes in the country. Coach John Calipari will again have to rely heavily on play from his freshmen as he brings in two of the best in Michael Gilchrist and Marguis Teague. If Teague and Gilchrist blend well with the returners, Kentucky will find itself in the Final Four for the second straight year.

Coach Jim Boeheim’s team returns four starters from what was a disappointing second-round exit in the National Tournament last year. The Orangemen will rely on experience from the guard spot to help them navigate the always brutal Big East Conference. Senior Scoop Jardine is sure to be a preseason All Big East selection while Fab Melo, after a somewhat disappointing first year, needs to step up if Syracuse is going to play late into March.

This is my wild card pick. You can disagree with me if you like, but Head Coach Bo Ryan gets the job done. The Badgers are not going to have a lot of flashy players, but they do return All-American Jordan Taylor who single handedly won games for them last year. The Badgers also add the 2011 Gatorade Player of the Year in Iowa Jarrod Uthoff into the mix and look for him to be a big part of coach Ryan’s swing offense. It won’t be pretty basketball, but Bo Ryan’s Badgers will find ways to win games and keep themselves in the national title talk.