Baseball 11-10 for season

This archived article was written by: Shantel Hardy

USU Eastern’s baseball team has been playing incredibly well since the beginning of the season posting a 11-10 record.
Playing on their home field on Feb. 28, the Golden Eagles faced the Southern Nevada Coyotes. The Golden Eagles started right-hander Sean Hardman on the mound. Hardman pitched into the seventh inning giving up only one run. After the game, Hardman said, “I felt really good; I thought it was a good outing. My change-up was my best pitch and felt I was keeping the batters off balance.”
Despite Hardman’s efforts, the Golden Eagles fell short, losing 1-0. They couldn’t catch a break against the Coyotes their second game either, losing 3-1. Shortstop Kyle Durbin was the only player to score against the Coyotes during their two-game series.
Due to weather conditions, games were cancelled Feb. 29 with make up games held on March 4-5, where USU Eastern played against the Washington All-Stars.
The Eagles breezed by with a 13-3 win. Jacob Chlarson, starting catcher for the Golden Eagles, went 2-3 with 2 RBIs. Chlarson said, “I was super excited to play and wanted to perform to the best of my abilities. I was able to get my pitch and hit the ball.”
That wasn’t enough of a victory for Eastern as they continued to play the Washington All-Stars the next day. A game they easily won 9-2. Bryce Blackburn led the team with 2 RBIs and dominated second base.
There was no rest for the Eagles as they played against the Idaho All-Stars March 7-8 on the Golden Eagles home field. With the support of their fans, the Golden Eagles could not be stopped. Starting first basemen Jonathan Santiago hit a long home run, scoring three in the bottom of the third inning. The Eagles ended up with a winning 14-4.
As the next game continued, the Golden Eagles once again dominated the Idaho All-Stars winning 10-3. Derek Young got his first college start for the Eagles, going 2-3 with 2 RBIs. Young said, “It was cool and it felt really good to be recognized for all the hard work I’ve put in. I was seeing the ball well, and it looked easy to hit.”
The series continued against the Idaho All-Stars on March 8. The pitching staff for the Golden Eagles looked tremendous, refusing to allow any runs in seven innings. Colter Moore started for the Eagles, pitching six innings and striking out 12 batters. Cortlen Nielson closed the last by inning striking out one batter and giving up only one hit. The Golden Eagles took the victory winning 8-0. The Eagles were unstoppable at the plate, scoring 13 runs in five innings. Center fielder Jordan Mellon went 2-3 with 3 RBIs hitting a single and a triple with a stolen base. The Golden Eagles finished the weekend 4-0 against the Idaho All-Stars.
The Golden Eagles made their way down to Thatcher, Ari., for Spring Break to play against the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters. Playing in sunny, warm weather, the Golden Eagles competed every inning March 12, defeating the Gila Monsters 3-1. Sean Hardman was unstoppable on the mound, pitching over seven innings and only giving up one run.
After their first victory against the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters, the Eagles looked forward to a double header the next day on March 13. Hadley Thorpe was the only player to score during the game, beginning the inning with a double, Thorpe said, “I felt confident enough in our pitching that scoring this one run was enough for a win.” Sure enough, the Golden Eagles scraped a victory, winning 1-0.
After their first game, the Golden Eagles played again and fell short, losing 2-3 against the Gila Monsters. Despite their fighting efforts every inning, they could not find a way to win. Their final game in the series in Thatcher was an intense game. Starting pitcher Mitch Dahl pitched until the fifth inning when Jayce Hill took over. Hill said after the game, “To be honest, I was a little nervous. I only threw four pitches in the bullpen, but once I was out there, I felt really good.”
The Golden Eagles battled the whole game and squeaked out a victory by winning 4-3. The Golden Eagles ended the series with a 3-1 record against the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters.
The Golden Eagles are home this weekend for their Fan Appreciation Day on Friday, March 21 against the Colorado Northwestern Community College Spartans on the Eagle’s field located at 1100 East and 900 North in Price. The doubleheader begins at noon and rally towels will be given to first 200 fans. Free hot dogs and drinks will be given to all fans.