May 2, 2008
The baseball team at Hesston College ended their season by losing the fifth and final game of the Region VI play-offs to Brown Mackie College, Salina, Kan. The teams compete in Division II, National Junior College Athletic Association.
In a contest played Thursday evening, May 1, at Oswald Field on the Hesston College campus, Brown Mackie shut out Hesston 8-0, taking the Region VI play-offs three games to two.
The play-offs began Monday, April 28, at Hesston, when the Larks won the first game 7-5, then dropped the nightcap 4-3. At Salina, Wednesday, April 30, both contests went extra innings—8 innings in both games. Brown Mackie won the first game 12-11, and the Larks defeated the Lions 7-6.
With the loss, the Larks conclude their 2008 season with 6 wins and 25 losses.
“We were flat last night,” said Larks coach Art Mullet. “I believe the Wednesday night extra-inning games took its toll on us mentally and physically.”
Mullet emphasized that the 2008 team struggled with adversity all season, particularly related to weather and postponed or cancelled games. Of the 47 scheduled games, only 31 were played.
“So we never really got into a rhythm, which is critical in baseball,” Mullet said. “We entered the play-offs without our top pitcher, Joel Widmer (freshman, Williamsburg, Iowa), who was out with injury. Then to add to our problems, Daniel Martin (shortstop and recent best hitter, a sophomore from Harrisonburg, Va.) came down with a hamstring injury and missed our last two games.”
Mullet is already looking ahead to next season. “Ten players on this team are freshmen and should return next season."
Hesston College Baseball