March 16, 2012

Spring Break and March Madness

On Wednesday we returned from a long weekend in Florida where we took a game in our series with Florida International University and played a tough nine innings against a talented Florida Atlantic team. Two years ago, during our spring break trip to Florida, we ended up beating the No. 11 Miami Hurricanes in the first game of a two-game series. During the second game, we had them backed up against the ropes and were poised to sweep the series with an 8-3 lead late in the game. In a series of events that could only happen to an underdog in a heartbreaking made-for-TV movie about team-building and trying your hardest, we ended up blowing that lead and losing 9-8 in the ninth inning.

All of this may seem irrelevant, but the games we played this past weekend and the memories of our 2010 series with the Hurricanes make me wonder where the enthusiasm for baseball went. Of course, people can easily blame their lack of interest in their college’s baseball team on weather and classroom commitments. It is really the youth’s lack of interest in baseball as a whole that causes the sport to suffer. With Major League players switching teams left and right and signing contracts that could purchase some entire countries, it is not hard to see why some people are disillusioned with the sport. But it is still America’s pastime, and it is a game that can be won by any team that steps on the field at any team, no matter who is in the other dugout.

As I sit in my apartment watching the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, upset wins by schools like Lehigh and Norfolk State make me think about and cherish the memories I have of our victory over Miami. However, it is not only wins by underdogs that should spark interest in a sport. Baseball is a funny game, and literally every single pitch matters – something I only understand from years of being a catcher. If every single pitch matters, then there is no way it could be considered boring, right? This is a concept that even players need to understand – we are no exception. Focus has played a large part in some of our wins, and in some of our losses. Although the nonconference games do not technically mean as much as the upcoming conference schedule, it still hurts to lose games that are definitely winnable. Hopefully we start to take some lessons from March Madness, turn up the intensity to 11, and go on a tear!

Until next time,

DC

(photos courtesy of Fordham Media Relations Office)