The Baker University baseball team will get into the swing of things for its 2012 season against Rogers State University Saturday and Sunday in Claremore, Okla.
Head coach Phil Hannon is excited to see how his team performs after benefiting from being able to practice outside due to a mostly mild winter, compared to years past when the team often had to practice indoors.
“Here in years past, the first we’ve been able to get on a field up until now has been when we play our first game,” Hannon said. “Any time you can get on the field and kind of get in game speed, it puts you at an advantage.”
While the weekend doubleheaders will be the first four games of the season for the Wildcats, Rogers State is 9-0 to start out the season as of Wednesday.
Although the Hillcats won all three games against BU last season, Hannon is encouraged about BU’s chances this weekend and the season in general, with a majority of the team returning from last year.
“With us realigning the conference so to speak, and us missing getting into the playoffs for the last three years by less than three games, it is always our goal to make it to the conference tournament,” Hannon said.” By doing so, we have to do a lot of good things early on and we have a lot of players who have been there before. So, I think this is the year to get over the top with those guys leading the team.”