Baseball season is upon us. Bowling Green’s baseball team is set to open the season at Middle Tennessee State on Friday.
The last game the team played was on Mar. 10, 2020. After that, the season was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Head Coach Kyle Hallock expects the season opener to be about getting back into a “game mode.”
“It will be all about getting familiar and reacclimated with the game and competing against a different opponent, with umpires and the scoreboard on. And with something on the line again,” Hallock said.
While each team in the MAC had to deal with COVID, BGSU was the only team to have their program cut during the pandemic.
Back in May, BGSU decided to eliminate the baseball program as part of an athletic department budget cut. BGSU alumni then raised enough money to help bring back the program.
The emotions felt during that time will certainly translate to the field.
“There was a chance we wouldn’t be here right now without the alumni stepping up and giving the university all that they had. Emotions are going to be high for sure,” senior first baseman Adam Furnas said.
Last season, freshmen and sophomores made up most of the roster. The majority of the team lacked experience playing in the college game.
The Falcons only got 13 games into the season before it was shut down. There is optimism that the games played last year can help accelerate the progress of the inexperienced players.
“We got a little bit of experience, we didn’t get a whole lot. We’re looking to get more experience from the get-go and build some momentum earlier in the season,” Hallock said.
This season will be Hallock’s first season as the head coach. Hallock has been with the team since being hired in September of 2018. He was hired to be the team’s pitching coach.
Hallock said he has spent time in the offseason going over the roster and seeing what each player’s strengths and weaknesses are. The culture of this team will be about playing to the strengths of the players.
“Everything is modeled around being consistent. Knowing what we are going to get out of each player and putting them in roles where they can be successful. If they are successful in those roles, then they can expand upon that,” Hallock said.
Hallock wants this team to play their game. He said they want to be able to control the tempo of the game and put pressure on the opposing team.
“If we’re focused on what we do and we play our game at a high level and we execute, we will be harder to beat,” Hallock said.
The Falcons look to prove the doubters wrong this season. They were picked in the MAC coaches’ poll to finish tenth out of eleventh.
This could make for a special season for the Falcons. Furnas hopes that fans can safely come support this team as they look to win a MAC title.
“I think it will be good for fans to come out and see the product we put on the field. It’s something that the alumni, the students and the people in town can be proud of because we’re going to be a team that plays with a lot of energy, a lot of heart and we’re going to get after some people.”
