By Spencer Jacobson, Staff Writer
Spring semester is underway and the Newman baseball team is preparing for its season to begin.
This year, coaches and players are focused on winning as many games as possible.
“I am pretty happy with where we are at. I think you never know until you start playing games anyway really. So, we are just trying to prepare the best we can,” Zane Ehling, head baseball coach, said.
Last year, the baseball team had a record of 22-28. Ehling said that last season the team started the out slow and finished the season strong. Ehling said this year the team is focusing on starting the season strong.
“We try to win as many games as possible. We want to keep winning as long as possible, play as long as possible. I’m not really big on setting one goal. I’m big on trying to get the best out of every day so we can be the best we can be because we don’t know what we are capable of unless you do that,” he said.
Ehling said that some of last season’s struggles at the beginning were brought about by a lack of experience on the mound. This year, Ehling said, with many returning players and some players transferring from other colleges, a lack of experience will not be a problem.
“I think what’s going to play a huge role in our season is the experience that we have,” he said. Dalton Dinkel, a junior catcher and transfer from Louisiana Tech, said he is excited for his first season as a Newman Jet. Like Ehling, Dinkel says that the team’s underlying goal of the season is to win as many games as possible.
“Everybody wants to win games, so hopefully that’s what happens,” he said.
Paul Rupnik, a senior outfielder preparing for his final season as a Newman Jet, said he too is excited for the season to get started. Rupnik said he thinks that pitching and picking the defensive side of the baseball are things that separate the great teams from the decent teams.
“The best teams are always better pitching and better defensive wise and I think that’s where we have separated ourselves this year. Personally, I think pitching and defense is our strong point,” he said.
Along with pitching and defense, Rupnik said that a positive team atmosphere is also essential and that this year, the Jets have that.
“At the end of the day if you’ve got good vibes and it’s a good family environment that’s going to carry you more than any sort of skill, position, or any facet of the game itself. It’s more about the vibes and team chemistry,” he said.
With an offseason full of workouts, hitting and weight lifting behind them and a season full of games ahead them, Rupnik said the rest Jets are ready to get their season started.
“We are all just excited to get going. The season is going to have its ups and downs and we are just ready to get started, to get rolling with it,” Rupnik said.
The Jets start their season at 9 a.m. this morning with a tournament in Cleburne, Texas. Their first home game of the season is at noon on Feb. 16 against Truman State.
By Spencer Jacobson, Staff Writer
Spring semester is underway and the Newman baseball team is preparing for its season to begin.
This year, coaches and players are focused on winning as many games as possible.
“I am pretty happy with where we are at. I think you never know until you start playing games anyway really. So, we are just trying to prepare the best we can,” Zane Ehling, head baseball coach, said.
Last year, the baseball team had a record of 22-28. Ehling said that last season the team started the out slow and finished the season strong. Ehling said this year the team is focusing on starting the season strong.
“We try to win as many games as possible. We want to keep winning as long as possible, play as long as possible. I’m not really big on setting one goal. I’m big on trying to get the best out of every day so we can be the best we can be because we don’t know what we are capable of unless you do that,” he said.
Ehling said that some of last season’s struggles at the beginning were brought about by a lack of experience on the mound. This year, Ehling said, with many returning players and some players transferring from other colleges, a lack of experience will not be a problem.
“I think what’s going to play a huge role in our season is the experience that we have,” he said. Dalton Dinkel, a junior catcher and transfer from Louisiana Tech, said he is excited for his first season as a Newman Jet. Like Ehling, Dinkel says that the team’s underlying goal of the season is to win as many games as possible.
“Everybody wants to win games, so hopefully that’s what happens,” he said.
Paul Rupnik, a senior outfielder preparing for his final season as a Newman Jet, said he too is excited for the season to get started. Rupnik said he thinks that pitching and picking the defensive side of the baseball are things that separate the great teams from the decent teams.
“The best teams are always better pitching and better defensive wise and I think that’s where we have separated ourselves this year. Personally, I think pitching and defense is our strong point,” he said.
Along with pitching and defense, Rupnik said that a positive team atmosphere is also essential and that this year, the Jets have that.
“At the end of the day if you’ve got good vibes and it’s a good family environment that’s going to carry you more than any sort of skill, position, or any facet of the game itself. It’s more about the vibes and team chemistry,” he said.
With an offseason full of workouts, hitting and weight lifting behind them and a season full of games ahead them, Rupnik said the rest Jets are ready to get their season started.
“We are all just excited to get going. The season is going to have its ups and downs and we are just ready to get started, to get rolling with it,” Rupnik said.
The Jets start their season at 9 a.m. this morning with a tournament in Cleburne, Texas. Their first home game of the season is at noon on Feb. 16 against Truman State.
PHOTO: THE MENS BASEBALL TEAM ended its season strong last year going 22-28. Courtesy photo, Newman Athletics
ended its’ season strong last year going 22-28. Courtesy photo, Newman Athletics
