I was sitting at the annual athletic banquet a few weeks ago when it hit me that this is the last time I’ll be here. The athletic banquet brings all of Elon’s teams together to celebrate a year of sports, and the school does a really nice job of putting things together.

As video highlights of the year were played, I was reminded of my time at Elon. It seems like just yesterday I was a freshman watching the highlights for the first time, and as this season’s highlights were played, I was busy replaying five years of own memories complete with past teammates and memorable on field moments.

As the highlights played, some pictures of last year’s team were shown. Those guys will always be special to me, they are the ones I came here with, and there were times this year when I would’ve given anything to have them back for one more season. Even so, I was still shocked they weren’t sitting across from me at this banquet. Those images and this banquet reminded me that next year there won’t be a year of baseball or an athletic banquet.

The athletic banquet signified the beginning of the end; exams, graduation and Senior Day were right around the corner. The break for exams gave us a chance to regroup and prepare for a postseason run.

The first game back from break was a nice shot of confidence as we beat East Carolina 4-2, but losing three out of our next four games was not how we wanted to enter the conference tournament.

The conference tournament is an exciting time. With a regional berth on the line, the intensity of every game is magnified. We had our fair share of ups and downs throughout the season, but the tournament is a fresh start with everyone 0-0.

With final grades coming in, we made an analogy between exams and the impending conference tournament. Much like a student needing to ace a final to pass, we needed to ace the tournament in order to keep our season alive; and in doing so, realize the goals we had set prior to the season.

Unfortunately, we did not “ace” the tournament. We cruised in Game 1, but a controversial call (and I’ll leave it at that) in Game 2 against the host, The Citadel, took our three-run lead and turned it into a one-run deficit going into the top half of the 8^th.

We could have packed it in right there, but we didn’t. With only a few hours of sleep, we were back playing Appalachian State. A come-from-behind victory, well after midnight, against UNC Greensboro completed our day of survival.

Our season and my career ended the next afternoon. We got our second chance against The Citadel, but we couldn’t take advantage.

I knew the day would come in which I would play my last baseball game. It was one that I was not looking forward to. As the final out was recorded, I was not sure how I would react. Emotions did not set in until our huddle in the outfield, when coach addressed the team.

It is an extremely tough day realizing you’ll never play baseball again. I’ve been playing organized baseball since I was 4 years old, and the last several years my life has been nothing but baseball. It is an awkward feeling. As you age, you go through stages of your life where you are unsure about the future. Baseball has always been a crutch for me as I’ve moved forward during those times.

I’m not sure if it has completely set in that my career is over. The day after we were eliminated just felt like another off-day; it felt like we would have practice the next day. But instead of practice the next day, I had to pack for the approaching move-out date.

I guess it will set in a little more over the summer. Typically I spend my summers in some distant wood-bat league. But instead of baseball this summer, I have grad school.

As I sit here and write this journal, the apartment is quiet, the rest of my roommates have moved out, and I sit among moving boxes. My time at Elon is over, but the experience is one that has shaped my life, molding me into the person I am and hope to become.

A funny occurrence happened yesterday. A former Elon teammate’s wedding is on the horizon, and he needed my measurements for a suit. I was at Brooks Brothers when a guy came up to me and said, “So, what happened against The Citadel?”

I guess he recognized my Phoenix Baseball shirt I had on. Come to find out he was an Elon alum. We talked awhile about the season, and he knew everything about the team - in fact he reads the journal. Elon is a small school, but people take pride in it. People ask if I’m glad that I went to Elon. I always reply, “I never could image playing anywhere else.” Deciding to play baseball at Elon was the best decision I ever made.

If I could describe it any better I would, but it’s almost like something’s in the water, or in the oak trees, because people always come back, especially baseball. In time, I will be no different; I just don’t know if I can embrace that next step right yet.

Life without baseball is a scary thought. Several of my past teammates have called over the last couple days, mostly to see how I was handling life after baseball. I guess I’ll be making those calls next year. Even though I’m done playing, I’ll always be a part of the Elon baseball family and that is a comforting feeling.

Drew Davis

(photo courtesy of Elon Media Relations Office)