Around the Horn

Dawgs barking as 2003 College Baseball Season takes off

Calgary Dawgs players are making a huge impact as the 2003 College Baseball Season gets underway. We may have “arctic” conditions in Calgary but college baseball teams are going at it in the friendlier “climes” of California, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Florida and the Carolinas. And man, the Dawgs are barking!

Let’s go “around the horn” to see what Dawgs players have been doing:

•	Niagara University Purple Eagles (NCAA, Division 1) recently travelled to South Carolina and took 2 of 3 games from the highly regarded College of Charleston. Dawgs catcher, Mark Bomar of Austin, Texas, is making a huge contribution to the Eagles success by batting .400 and chipping in 9 RBI’s. Dawgs middle infielders Reed Eastley of Brandon, Manitoba and Vince Ircandia of Calgary are playing stellar defence up the middle as evidenced by the 6 double plays they have turned this early in the season. In the deciding game of the Charleston series Eastley came through with a home run and a double while Ircandia lived up to his Baseball America, Player to Watch credentials by going 5 or 6 with 3 doubles, a triple and a 2 run home run, to bury the Cougars of Charleston;
•	Grant Richardson of Richland, Washington, who will be manning the corners of the Dawgs infield this season, has established himself as one of the leading hitters for the Washington State Cougars, NCAA, Division 1. Richardson is currently hitting .317 with 2 home runs and leads the Cougs in RBI’s in the tough PAC 10 Conference;
•	Jim Henderson of Calgary who plays with the University of Tennessee Weslyan (NAIA, Division 1) has led the Bulldogs to a 9-0 start by going 2-0 on the mound and mashing a team leading 3 home runs;
•	John Hurd of Trail, B.C. who will be patrolling centre field for the *Dawgs* in the 2003 Season, is currently not only one of the leading hitters at the College of Southern Idaho but is also getting it done as the Eagles closer;
•	Dan Chappel (Edmonton) of the College of the Southwest in New Mexico, is currently batting .312 in helping the Mustangs get off to a 9-6 start;
•	UBC Thunderbirds, NAIA Division 1, are taking up where they left off racing to a 6-2 start and solidifying their reputation as a NAIA World Series contender. Leading the way for the Thunderbirds is a pitching staff that includes the heart of the Dawgs bullpen for the 2003 Season. RHP Dan Osachoff of White Rock, BC has made 4 appearances and currently has impressed with an incredible 1.59 ERA. RHP Jordan Will of Victoria has also been outstanding for Coach Terry McKaig in the early going and RHP Dave Gautier of Parksville, BC has earned a starting spot in the Thunderbirds rotation.
•	Dawgs RHP Scott Judson (Courtnay, BC) of College of the Cariboo has been the ace of Coach Jay Lapp’s pitching staff. All Scott has done is not allow one earned run in 14 innings while racking up 12 strike outs;
•	RHP Aren Nelson of Calgary, earned his first win of the season for Valley City State of North Dakota as the Vikings turned back Macalaster College 11-3 in the Metrodome;
•	*Dawgs* LHP, Geoff Freeborne of Calgary has established himself as the number 1 starter for Northern Kentucky University and gave up 2 runs in 3 innings of work in his first outing of the 2003 College Baseball Season.
Look out WMBL, these Dawgs can play. Top “College Baseball. Major League Heart.” The fans of Calgary are in store for a real treat starting on opening day, Friday, May 30th at the Dawg Pound (formerly Burns Stadium).