After a strong season last year that ended with a run in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament for the first time, the Bluffton University Baseball Team is looking to keep building momentum with a roster of young players and an anticipated return of star pitcher Brantley Curnutte.
“We are still pretty young, even with the guys we have coming back,” said Head Coach James Grandey. “I think we have a good group of guys. There is certainly some talent there, we just have to be able to put it all together.”
Although Grandey said he doesn’t have set goals for the team this season, he wants consistency from the team. The team has been working on consistent pitching, consistent defense and consistent hitting at the plate to be ready for the season to kick off in Florida on Saturday, March 2.
Going into the season opener at the Gene Cusic Classic in Florida, the transition from practicing inside to playing outside will put the team at a disadvantage.
“It’s a significant disadvantage for us being a northern school,” said Grandey. “We are very thankful to have the football field, to have the turf there to go out on, to be outside. If not, I’m not sure this preseason we would’ve had an opportunity to be outside if it wasn’t for the turf.”
The NCAA allowed the team two scrimmages this season. Bluffton played Heidelberg inside in the cages, which allowed them to face other live pitchers and batters for the first time this season. This past Saturday, Feb. 23, the team traveled to Adrian and played on their turf baseball field, gaining an additional round of experience as they head into their season.
“It was cold but we were able to get outside and be on a full infield and full field, which hopefully will then make the transition a little bit easier for us,” said Grandey.
Grandey said he chooses to not pick team captains in order to give everyone on the team a chance to lead. Over the course of the fall, preseason, and up until now, Grandey said different members of the team have stepped up as leaders.
The season kicks off this Saturday, March 2, in Fort Myers, Fla., against Elms College, Chicopee, Mass. The team will play 11 games in six days with one day off on their trip down to Florida. Grandey said the team is not super deep and will need to start off efficiently on the mound and at the plate. Getting efficient rest between games in order to be ready to play when the time comes will help on and off the field, according to Grandey.
“It’s great to be able to go to Florida and our guys work super hard in fundraising to help make this trip possible, but at the same time–11 games in six days? If you were to say it wasn’t a disadvantage then you would be lying,” said Grandey.
The team will have a game at Ohio Northern on March 12, and their home opener on March 14 against the Hiram Terriers.
