High Expectations
For Swede Baseball
by Jeff Kelly, Staff Writer
Bethany Messenger: Friday, March 13, 1998- Page 7
Bethany Baseball '98
     First, let me apologize to the baseball team and to all of their fans.  I was supposed to be writing on baseball the last few weeks, but I just got too busy with the men's and women's basketball tournaments.  Again, I apologize and it will not happen again.
    Coach Waldie and I had a conversation about what he has seen from his team, and what he expects in the future.  The Swedes began this season with a showdown at Fort Hays State University.
    Fort Hays is in the top ten nationally in division two baseball.  "We lost 7-1, but gained so much," said Waldie, "It is always a good start for us to play someone in the top ten.  We want into the game wanting to win, but we also looked at it as a scrimmage.  We pitched six guys in nine innings.  The main objective in Hays was to get everybody into the game and see what we had on the field."
    After Hays, the Swedes hosted their first home double header against Peru State out of Nebraska.  Peru State won the first game 7-1, but the Swedes looked much better in game two.  "We were exceptional for five innings and up 6-2 going into the last inning.  We had three crucial errors and gave up 5 runs to lose 7-6.  I thought we played 13 of 14 solid innings and basically looked alright." claimed Coach Waldie.
    After the home sweing, the Swedes traveled to Oklahoma and played Hillsdale College.  "We had two excellent pitching performances by Cantrell and Strassburg.  Combined they pitched 156 pitches in two games.  In most single games, a pitcher averages 120 pitches."  The Swedes won the first game 2-1, but came up short in the second one 6-2.
    The Swedes then played a great baseball team when Phillips University out of Oklahoma was the next opponent.  This would definitely be a test for the Swedes, because, as Coach Waldie says, "We played one of the best teams since I have been here in Phillips University.
    Clay Witt was his usual self pitching an exceptional game.  He went six scoreless innings, but offensively we couldn't get the hits we desperately needed.  We had some crucial errors, and Clay lost the game 3-0 giving up three un-earned runs.
    In game two, I saw it as a welcome to college baseball for our younger players.  We got beat 17-7, but hopefully we can use this as a learning experience." Waldie explained.
    Waldie continued explaining, "Obviously we don't want to lose, but our 22 game non-conference schedule is one of the hardest that we have had in a long time.  I planned these games so myself, Coach Hunter, and Coach Grudt can evaluate all fascets of our team before conference begins.  We want to find the best offensive, defensive, and pitching lineup we can get in order to contend for a conference championship."  Coach Waldie feels that if his team can go 11-11 in non-conference, eventually the Swedes will be extremely competitive in conference.
    Coming up for the Swedes, weather permitting, is a double header tomorrow with Dana, Nebraska, and a follow up game on Sunday at home.  The temperature for Sunday should be fifties.  The Swedes should then play at Washburn on Monday.
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