Chris Ferrick-Manley
Staff Reporter
The McDaniel baseball team finished its season on a disappointing note, losing seven of their last eight, with all seven losses being in Centennial Conference games. They however did finish with their first non-losing season since 2004 at 15-15 (7-11 CC).
Manager Dave Seibert was disappointed in the final outcome of the season, after the team had started 7-4 in conference play. Seibert placed much of the blame on the large amount of rainouts that his team was forced to endure, which depleted the strength of his pitching staff.
“It didn’t help that we played seven conference games in a week,” said Seibert, “anybody who didn’t make the playoffs is disappointed whether they’re our kids or anyone elses.”
According to Seibert, relief pitchers had to be pressed into starting roles which took away from the strength of the bullpen. The pitching staff finished with a final team ERA of 6.57. Hitting however, remained a strength of the team throughout the season, the final team batting average was .318 with 16 home runs. The team only hit five home runs in the 2008 season.
Senior second baseman Jon Zimmerman believes most of the momentum that the team gained from their hot start to finish the 2008 season disappeared during the second-to-last weekend during two road doubleheaders at Ursinus and Muhlenberg. Zimmerman cited a controversial call at 1st base near the end of the second Ursinus game.
“We all thought the game was over, the umpire thought differently,” said Zimmerman, “can’t blame season on one umpire but it really did shift the momentum.”
McDaniel went on to lose that game 8-7 and then both games at Muhlenberg.
The losses to Franklin and Marshall on Spring Fling weekend were the final collegiate games for 10 seniors: right fielder Harold Baines, centerfielder Zach Croft, pitcher Ryan Graves, pitcher Dustin Knox, catcher Justin Reitz, outfielder Matt Teter, first baseman/designated hitter Troy Tipton, third baseman Brent Toms, pitcher Chase Wolf, and Zimmerman.
“I had a great group of seniors,” said Seibert, who believes their greatest moment as a team was their upset doubleheader sweep of F&M on the last day of the 2008 season when F&M was in the playoffs and McDaniel playing for nothing but pride.
Seibert enjoyed coaching all of his departing players and predicts success for them in their future.
Zimmerman, in his final game was also able to record an important career accomplishment, hitting his first home run in one of his last career at bats.
According to Zimmerman, the best part of hitting the home run was seeing the reactions of his teammates.
“The guys didn’t expect it, and neither did I. Hitting from the leadoff spot, I just try to hit line drives and see pitches,” said Zimmerman, “A homerun was the last thought that crossed my mind.”
Two McDaniel players were named to the CC All-Conference teams. Baines was named to the Second Team and left fielder Russ Coover was named an honorable mention.