Editor’s Note: Smith Slye works for The Daily Evergreen as a sports editor and plays for the club baseball team. He has no involvement in the writing of this article.
Last spring the WSU Club Baseball team finished third in their division, with a conference record of 10-5, just one win shy of making it to the regional tournament for the fourth straight year.
They lost to the University of Idaho in their last game of the season, knocking them out of regional contention and ending their year early. Assistant Coach and sophomore player Smith Slye understood the loss’s significance.
“It left a sour taste in our mouth,” Slye said.
Nonetheless, the team’s main goal for this season is to make it back to the regional playoffs, and although they lost a pitcher and catcher, they believe they can get back to postseason baseball with the help of some younger and new players stepping up.
“The youngest guys.. who come out of high school and who were good in high school,” Slye said. “If you can get them on your team… they can immediately start being impact guys.”
In addition to recruiting young players, the team as a whole, as described by Head Coach and Senior Player Parker Mann, is similar to a low-end junior college team. They want to win and push each other to be better every day as well.
“We’re a fun club, but we’re also competitive,” Mann said. “We want guys to know that they have to show up [and] they have to put the time in.”
If they put the time in and continue to work, even on the days they do not feel like doing so, Mann believes that they are capable of making it back to the regional tournament.
Mann additionally emphasized how joining the team is a commitment every player has to consider.
“If [it being a time commitment] isn’t for them,” Mann said. “We’re not going to try to convince them that this is for them.”
Even though the team wants to win, they are also focused on getting players out on the field. Unlike in high school, where athletes may stress about recruitment and immediate success, this team is focused on embracing their love for the game.
“We are out here to win games, but we’re always making sure to do it with a smile on our face,” said Michael Slusher, a sophomore player and one of the team’s treasurers.
Slye also explained that by playing for this team, a love of baseball is a must have.
“You’re [playing] because you love baseball,” he said. “You want to come out every single day and play baseball.”
Looking at this upcoming season, the team plans to decrease the number of runs they allow compared to last year. Although Valley Road Play fields (the home field for the club team) is a relatively small ballpark, the team allowed a significant number of runs, which was a part of some close losses last season.
One of the ways they are aiming to reduce this is by being more intentional with how they are pitching.
“Be able to pitch for weak contact,” Slye said. “Pitch for ground balls, pitch for soft line outs.”
If they can do that, he sees the team making it back to their usual ways of qualifying for regionals.
On the offensive side of the ball, an area that the team had success with last season, they believe they can keep their production up by being disciplined and knowing the situation they are in.
“We’re going to keep putting the work in at the plate,” Mann said. “Knowing your strengths as a hitter, and knowing what you can and can’t do.”
The team will hold tryouts in two weeks from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 26 and 28 at the Valley Road Play fields. Typically, the team welcomes around 20 members. Last season, this allowed them to split into two groups, with each one playing about every other day to give guys some rest.
Practices start immediately after tryouts, and are held three days a week: 5-7 p.m on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 3 p.m on Sundays. Games start in the spring, with the team hosting opponents at the play fields, while traveling to other universities for away series, such as the University of Montana.
This year’s men’s club baseball team is looking to combine their competitive drive, returning players and new players, while keeping their love for the game at focus to make it back to regional and possibly nationals.
