Baseball team ready to run for the MCC title

March 24, 2005
By Anthony Loconsole
Staff Writer

The St. Ambrose University Fighting Bee baseball team is riding a wave of energy after a successful trip down to West Palm Beach, Fla.

While down in Florida the Bee’s knew they had their work cut out for them as they would be facing teams that have already played between fifteen to twenty games. Yet the Bee’s went into their first series of the 2005 season anxious to put all the hard work and preparation into action.

The Fighting Bee’s took on Northwood University, a team that had already won fifteen games heading into the two versus SAU.

Northwood defeated the Bee’s in the first game by a final of 10-0, and in the second game by a score of 5-13. There were a few bright spots in the second game for the Bee’s with the team’s scoring led by Ben Martin, Tom Stonebock, Jake Miller and Mark Gaulden who each drove in a run.

Despite the two losses the Bee’s realized that it would take time to get their legs under them.
“Once the guys got their timing down and were more patient you could notice a difference in how we played between the first and second game, and I liked what we did in game two and I think it’s all starting to click,” assistant coach Tony Huntley said.

In the second series the Bee’s took on Palm Beach Atlantic and would win both games the first coming in extra innings. The Bee’s won game one by a final of 16-10, and were led by freshman Kyle Roesler who had three hits and four RBI’s, also helping out on the win were Ben Martin with two RBI’s, and DH Adam Smith drove in two runs.

The Bee’s won game two by a final score of 8-4, and seemed poised to make quite a run while down south.

During the rest of the week down in Florida the Fighting Bee’s went on to win just one more game but were in each of the games that they lost.

The Bee’s received solid performances by senior pitchers Kyle Hildman and Sean Johnson, right field All-American Ben Martin, and a variety of freshmen and transfers also factored into the success of the Bee’s.

Upon returning home from Florida the Bee’s have been practicing each day and gearing up for the start of the regular season and Midwest Classic Conference play. The Bee’s have along home stand as they play nine consecutive series from now until April 5.

Home games for the Fighting Bee’s will be held at John O’Donnell Stadium located in downtown Davenport, admission is free to all.

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