By Ally Doty
Pensacola State College hosted the 2004 state champs alumni anniversary baseball game Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013 at Pensacola State in the early afternoon of a slightly rainy day.
“We want to continue to include our alumni in this organization,” Head Coach Keith Little said after the game.
Eleven players returned to face the upcoming 2013 PSC baseball team, including three of the players that spent their time at PSC winning the 2004 State Championship; Jeff Morris, Marshall Barfield and Jeff Rodriguez. Athletic Director, Bill Hamilton, and Coach Little, who were also a part of the 2004 championship team, were both at the game Saturday, studying their new players but also making sure they enjoyed themselves.
“This was just to get the old guys out here with our new guys and have some fun,” Little said.
The match was short, only five innings, and casual between the two teams, both dressing in comfortable athletic wear instead of professional uniforms.
The first two innings flew by with consecutive outs by both teams. The only big play occurred in the third inning when the alumni threw a double play at third base and first base. The last two innings followed suit of the first two. The players seemed to enjoy themselves as they hooted and hollered between innings, despite the rain.
Some people were not pleased with the idea of continuing a game in the droopy weather. “They should have rescheduled it,” a PSC student complained while he was leaving the game. “It is cold and rainy out here and no one wants to sit in this weather and watch a game.”
The game ended in a 0-0 tie and the players hung around to fix up the field so it would be ready for their next practice during the preseason.
“We have a young team and we will make a lot of mistakes for sure,” Little said after the friendly match. “The last two seasons we have been hit by the injury bug, but I think that if we keep everyone healthy, then we should have good odds this season.”
Both the 2013 baseball team and the alumni went on to enjoy their evening with the alumni social downtown at Intermissions on Palafox Street.