Krystal Geeson
Staff Writer
School, practice and fees are no competition for the 21 committed players on the Idaho State University baseball club team.
Currently ranked 13th in the 2014 NCBA DI Week 13 Rawlings Top 20 Poll, they have a season to look forward to.
The President of the National Club Baseball Association predicted that ISU’s baseball team will finish second in the nation this year, according to Bob Hunt, head coach of the ISU baseball club.
“It brought about so much emotion from all of us,” Hunt said upon hearing the news.
“This is a huge motivational tool for the team this year,” he continued. “Three-fourths of our guys are returning players. It is nice to allow them to feel the recognition of how they played the last few years, and the new guys are excited to be affiliated with this program.”
Jake Munn, president of the ISU baseball club, is in his second year on the team.
When asked about the number two spot prediction, Munn said, “There is a little bit of pressure. It’s a big deal to be talked about on a national standpoint. It is a motivator to try to play up to that high standard given.
“We made it to regionals last year; anything less than that will be a disappointment,” Munn said.
The baseball club was one game away from competing in the national tournament last year.
Because baseball is not an official NCAA sport at ISU, the players have to raise the majority of their funds. They have to pay to use Halliwell Field for home games.
“Everything is primarily funded by the fees collected from players,” Hunt said.
The team has some sponsors but is always looking for more.
The club money received from ISU is spent mostly on NCBA dues.
“We have people starting to step up from the community and offer assistance,” said Hunt.
Recently, the club did a fundraiser selling Bengal Baseball apparel where it received a portion of the proceeds.
“Up until this year we have used the same uniforms for the past six years. This year we were able to buy a new set of vests,” Hunt said.
In conference, all the teams ISU plays are NCBA-affiliated. The team fills open weekends with games against community colleges and other teams not in the NCBA.
“We practice Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. All these guys are playing for the love of the game. There are no scholarships. All these guys have school, some have jobs, and they have two hours of baseball a day,” Hunt said.
This is Hunt’s seventh year coaching. He said he has a great coaching staff this year.
“We love the game, we are passionate about it,” Hunt said.
“We would love to be able to get the student body and the community to come out. There is no admission to any of our games. We would love to pack the stands with a lot of ISU fans and to get them shouting and screaming for us,” said Hunt.
The club’s season begins on Feb. 27 in Mesquite, Nev.
The baseball team will host its first home game of the season on Mar. 8 against the University of Northern Colorado.
Questionable weather caused the baseball team’s expected first game on Feb. 22 to be postponed.
