Baseball
Ryan Strickland
Issue date: 3/3/07 Section: Sports
Hendrix Baseball is having the best season they have had in four years with new Head Coach R. J. Thomas. So far the Warriors have had 11 wins, including three conference victories, one each from Rhodes, University of the South, and Austin College. This strong season may lead the team to their first conference tournament in several years.
Freshman Matt Gaglio is impressed with the team's improvement.
"We've made a lot of progress in such a short time," Gaglio said.
Coach Thomas was appointed temporary Head Coach during the summer, but he was recently given the position permanently. Thomas attended Hendrix College as a freshman but transferred to UCA for his remaining three years of college.
"He is a good coach, very successful. He really cares about the team," said freshman David Hagan.
Most recently, the Warriors traveled to Sherman, Texas for a four game series against the Kangaroos of Austin College. Hendrix started strong, winning the first game of the series 8-6. Gaglio gave the Warriors the edge early in the game with a double, followed by a three run homer by Freshman Ricky Whitfield. The strong inning gave Hendrix the lead, which they never lost. The feeling of victory would be short-lived though as the Warriors fell to Austin 19-0 in the second game of the double-header.
The third game was closer, with Hendrix pulling within one run during the fourth inning, but the Kangaroos pushed the lead to 18-8 by the end of the game. In the fourth and final game of the series, the Warriors hoped to even the series at two games apiece. Hendrix took the lead during the first inning, but could not hold back the Kangaroos, giving Austin the victory 5-1.
On offense, Sophomore David Foley, Freshman Nathan Skeen and Sophomore Daniel Ward lead the Warriors in batting averages. Foley has batted an incredible .507 with 15 hits in only 29 at-bats. Skeen has batted .407 with an impressive 37 hits, one home run, and 24 RBIs. Ward follows close behind with a .359 batting average, 33 hits, 14 of which were doubles, three home runs, and 30 RBIs.
In pitching, sophomore Wheeler Gnat has an earned run average (ERA) of only 1.89 runs and has thrown 24 strikeouts. Ward has also helped the Warriors as a pitcher with 27 strikeouts.
Out in the field, Skeen has led the Warriors as a catcher. He has put out 77 runners with only two errors. Sophomore Matt Giza is the statistical leader in put outs with 154 put outs and only five errors in conference play.
The Warriors will play Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Ga. this weekend and will return home next weekend to take on Southwestern University in a four game series. The next games against Southwestern are very important to the team's season.
"We must win at least three out of the four games against Southwestern if we want to make it to the tournament," Gaglio said.
Freshman Matt Gaglio is impressed with the team's improvement.
"We've made a lot of progress in such a short time," Gaglio said.
Coach Thomas was appointed temporary Head Coach during the summer, but he was recently given the position permanently. Thomas attended Hendrix College as a freshman but transferred to UCA for his remaining three years of college.
"He is a good coach, very successful. He really cares about the team," said freshman David Hagan.
Most recently, the Warriors traveled to Sherman, Texas for a four game series against the Kangaroos of Austin College. Hendrix started strong, winning the first game of the series 8-6. Gaglio gave the Warriors the edge early in the game with a double, followed by a three run homer by Freshman Ricky Whitfield. The strong inning gave Hendrix the lead, which they never lost. The feeling of victory would be short-lived though as the Warriors fell to Austin 19-0 in the second game of the double-header.
The third game was closer, with Hendrix pulling within one run during the fourth inning, but the Kangaroos pushed the lead to 18-8 by the end of the game. In the fourth and final game of the series, the Warriors hoped to even the series at two games apiece. Hendrix took the lead during the first inning, but could not hold back the Kangaroos, giving Austin the victory 5-1.
On offense, Sophomore David Foley, Freshman Nathan Skeen and Sophomore Daniel Ward lead the Warriors in batting averages. Foley has batted an incredible .507 with 15 hits in only 29 at-bats. Skeen has batted .407 with an impressive 37 hits, one home run, and 24 RBIs. Ward follows close behind with a .359 batting average, 33 hits, 14 of which were doubles, three home runs, and 30 RBIs.
In pitching, sophomore Wheeler Gnat has an earned run average (ERA) of only 1.89 runs and has thrown 24 strikeouts. Ward has also helped the Warriors as a pitcher with 27 strikeouts.
Out in the field, Skeen has led the Warriors as a catcher. He has put out 77 runners with only two errors. Sophomore Matt Giza is the statistical leader in put outs with 154 put outs and only five errors in conference play.
The Warriors will play Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Ga. this weekend and will return home next weekend to take on Southwestern University in a four game series. The next games against Southwestern are very important to the team's season.
"We must win at least three out of the four games against Southwestern if we want to make it to the tournament," Gaglio said.
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