TRU got to show their WolfPack pride at the baseball team’s hype night on March 27. Playing against the Calgary Dinos, the ‘Pack played a close game, ultimately losing 14-13.
The stands were filled with excited fans, donned in WolfPack attire, who remained enthusiastic throughout the game. Each time a Dino stepped up to the batting plate, he was met with passionate heckles from the stands.
“Nice pants, number 2! You shop at Baby Gap?” One fan yelled. “Don’t think about striking out! Don’t strike out!”
The night started slow, with no runs from either team in the first inning. At the top of the second inning, the Dinos’ Mason Bristow hit the ball over the right-centre field fence, earning the first three runs of the game. The ‘Pack had a strong streak in the bottom of the second inning, earning nine runs on nine hits.
During the third inning, pitcher Zac Robinson was ejected from the game by the umpire. The ‘Pack’s head coach, Ray Chadwick, took to the field for a heated discussion with the umpire, which briefly stalled the game. According to second-year outfielder Kai Sheck, the umpire was unhappy with the behaviour from some of the ‘Pack.
“I think he had a little bit of a power trip, I think you could call it. I mean, he kicked Robi out of the game for pointing at him, kicked Ray out of the game for saying that he kicked our pitcher out of the game for pointing at him. A little interesting, but that’s how it goes,” Sheck said.
By the end of the fourth inning, the Dinos had closed the gap, tying the game at 11-11.
The WolfPack saw no runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, never even reaching third base. The Dinos gradually took the lead, earning two runs over three innings and taking the lead at 13-11.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, with two outs, the WolfPack was desperately trying to stay in the game when Sheck stepped up to bat and hit a line drive into left field. Jared Succro got an easy run from third base. Manny Recchi flew past third base, and, narrowly avoiding a tag from the catcher, secured the second run from a single hit, once again tying the game.
In the top of the ninth inning, with two outs, the Dinos’ Brett Potter hit a line drive into right field, allowing Ben Hul to snag the team’s final run of the evening. The WolfPack had an unsuccessful bottom of the ninth inning, ending the game at 14-13 in favour of the Dinos.
With the season just beginning, the ‘Pack is still confident in its gameplay this season.
“Good start, I’d like to just build on it. Just continue to stay hot,” Sheck said. “I would’ve liked to win, but that’s just how it goes sometimes. Sometimes you fall a little short.”
Among the crowd was TRU alumnus and former member of the WolfPack baseball team, Riley Hay.
“That was a fun game to watch. I think the offence is on fire this year. Pitching’s got to catch up a bit. Boys just got to keep scoring 14 runs a game to win.” Hay said. “The crowd doesn’t normally get this hype, but we could. We could, if everyone decides to show up to every game, we’ll be down. Have to get everyone out for a win,” Hay said.
The ‘Pack currently stands in fourth place in the Canadian College Baseball Conference.