March 18, 2020
Over the past few weeks, the Coronavirus has basically stopped the world in its tracks. Lives have been lost, people have fallen ill, and others are panicking. While we know God truly holds the world in His hands, it is an easy time to feel caught up in the hysteria overcoming the world. I feel it would be insensitive of me not to acknowledge the massive scale on which this virus is striking our world. While this remains true, I want to give you a look into some of the very raw and real emotions I saw as a ripple effect of this virus over the past week.
This pandemic has obviously created a roller coaster for everyone. For athletes in particular, there have been so many ups and downs that it has been hard to keep track. Beginning with the announcement of school being moved to online classes for the next two weeks, confusion arose immediately. Athletes across the nation wondered what the implications of online classes would be for their sport.
When we were told that our season would continue, we thought nothing of it. Things were going to carry on as expected, even if that meant playing in front of no fans. No one could have expected the massive turn of events to come over the following few days.
The next day is when we found out that our weekend series was canceled. We were told that the G-MAC presidents were going to meet and decide upon the fate of the remainder of the season.
We knew at this point that things did not look promising, especially with the news rapidly breaking about sports being canceled throughout the world. NCAA Division I baseball was canceled, and this was likely the end of the road for us, too.
The next morning, we were called to the locker room. Everyone knew what was about to happen. You could see it in the faces around the room. Knowing what was coming did not take away any of the pain that it brought.
Baseball is a game of failure. It requires plenty of mental strength to succeed in this game. Yet when the game you love is taken from you, you become a mere child again. There’s no amount of strength that could replace the feeling of losing this game.
We watched grown men cry like little kids. I might have been crying the most. I just wasn’t sure I could come to grips with the fact that a 17-year game had finally come to a close.
Knowing the pain it brought to some of my best friends is what hurt more. For me, I knew there was hope for possibly playing another season. For other seniors, I knew this was it. Life was going to happen and they’d never get the chance to get back on the field.
No more success. No more failure. No more walk-offs. No more post-game celebrations. No more road trips. No more last games. No more baseball.
Man did that sting. I wish everyone in the nation who lost this season could have it back, but I know that is not possible. After reflecting on what happened, there are just a few things I want to say about the Cedarville Baseball program and the University as a whole.
This team is here to stay.
One of the most disappointing parts of this was the outlook that this program had for this season. After a few years of struggling, things were looking up. We had a winning record, and I have no doubt we would have made the G-MAC Tournament this year. For me, this hurt, but I know it hurt guys who had been here longer even more. To struggle hard is what makes success so great in baseball, and it pains me that these guys didn’t get to experience that come to fruition. Thank you Matt, Logan, Riley, Connor, Elliott, and Hunter for the time you put in on and off the field.
The program is better off having known you all.
These are good men.
A lot of programs around the United States have discovered that they value success in any sport more than character. They place the success of a team over discipline and leadership as well as other characteristics. I can promise you that is not the case at Cedarville. I know I speak for all athletes at the school when I say that you are able to grow as a human being at this place. The lessons you learn from sports are applied throughout your life, and I think the leadership we have at this school teaches all of the right lessons. I saw so much growth on our team alone in just under two years here, and I can’t imagine how much those more experienced have seen. This is a testament to the leadership seen from the top down. I want to thank Dr. White for the way he has handled this situation, and Coach Manes for being so good to us through all of this.
If this is it for me, thank you to everyone who has followed us and kept up over the last few seasons. To some of the greatest teammates I’ve ever had, thank you for changing my life forever. I love every last one of you. To baseball: thank you.
Thanks for reading. Go Jackets.
- Trace
March 11, 2020
What’s goin’ on?
The Jackets are back from a week full of sunshine, baseball, karaoke, burnt Hale brothers, and wins. We came out of our Florida trip with a 5-2 record, the best a Cedarville team has done in recent history. It was truly a blast, and we were able to enjoy the trip a bit more because of the wins.
Some of the highlights from this trip:
We had about five guys who flew for the first time! Specifically, our handsome shortstop Mr. Alan Perry had a grand old time on the back of the plane. He was just overflowing with excitement. We experienced a bit of turbulence, but nothing we weren’t used to with the coveted rumble strips experienced on all of our bus trips.
Karaoke night was electric this year. Some awards from the night:
Best choreography: Blais Hale. I think everyone was a bit taken aback when thisquiet and calm man became an absolute specimen on the floor.
Most Passion: Reid Hale. This kid wanted it bad. He poured his heart and soul out on that stage and everyone knew it.
Most surprising: Ethan Milburn. Gonna be honest and say I don’t think anyone was expecting this guy to be as decent as he was. Mad respect.
Crowd Pleaser: Riley Landrum. Dixeland. If you know, you know.
We had a unique opportunity to gather with the Grace College baseball team and hear a former big leaguer speak about faith, baseball, and life.
We heard Elliot Gilmore’s coined phrase at least 20 times on the trip. He definitely didn’t stop…until we made the third out. Our weakness has become our strength!
Kevin Zhang made his first career start and Ethan Milburn got his first career win on the trip.
A lot of good baseball was played by a lot of different guys.
Freshman Highlight:
Josh Lewis
Position: Catcher
Hometown: Saint Paris, OH
If this guy isn’t the nicest guy on campus I don’t know who is. Your day is only going to get better when you see Josh. He is rumored to watch Bob Ross videos and practice his brush skills in his spare time.
I want to thank everyone who watched us online, followed stats, or even showed up to Florida. Your support doesn’t go unnoticed. We enter G-MAC play this weekend at Alderson Broaddus.
Looking to stay hot. Thanks for reading and as always,
#GoJackets
Feb. 20, 2020
What’s goin’ on?
This past weekend we headed down to the mountains of North Carolina for a doubleheader against Mars Hill University. It was a bit of a lengthy trip, though not as long as our last (and maybe less rumble strips on the roads). We figured the best way to make the trip worth it was to secure a few victories.
Game 1 was one of the wildest baseball games I’ve ever been a part of. There were 38 combined runs scored and four home runs hit. 23-15 does sound like more of a football score than a baseball score. Either way, a win is a win.
Game 2 was much quicker and much more dominant on our part. We were told to keep talking, which we certainly did…mostly with the bats. Brendan Toungate and Matthew Biermann had to let ‘em know real quick by hitting some absolutely nuclear balls that I still don’t think have landed. The defense and pitching hopped aboard the Drew Minnich express en route to victory in this one. We love you, Drew.
A big shout out goes out to our guy Alan Perry, who was named the NCCAA Offensive Player of the Week. Also want to shout out Kale Ebling and Blais Hale, who both picked up their first collegiate hits over the weekend.
This upcoming weekend in Kentucky will be our last before taking a trip to the Sunshine State.
Let’s keep it rolling.
Freshman Highlight:
Lucas Rotello
Position: 3B
Hometown: Lebanon, OH
You may not recognize Lucas in this photo due to the lack of luscious blonde locks. He is now sporting a half-mane instead of a full on matriarch Lion look. This dude is one of the coolest customers around, and would consider himself extremely blessed to be a member of this year’s squad.
Thanks for reading, and as always #GoJackets!
~ Trace
Feb. 12, 2020
What’s goin' on?
We’re home from quite the excursion this past weekend, and just as fast as you can say “Let ‘em know” we are going to be back on the road tomorrow (Thursday, 2/13). Let me break down the logistics of this trip last weekend:
Day 1: Thursday, February 6th - We depart from Cedarville at 9 AM. In an impressive feat, we stop just once on this nine-hour journey. Remarkable poise and persistence from our guys. After arrival in Georgia, we discover that the game the following day
is being moved to South Carolina, which requires a two-hour trip the next day.
Day 2: Friday, February 7th - We arrive in South Carolina, home of our favorite dry-humored engineer and teammate Andrew Dunbar. After a hard-fought loss, we make the trip back to Georgia. We then arrived at quite possibly the most interesting food establishment I’ve ever encountered in my 22 years on this earth. Ryan’s Buffet finds a way to simultaneously have the most yet least amount of food I’ve ever seen at a buffet. Must be something in the Georgia water - or croutons?
Day 3: Saturday, February 8th - We leave the hotel with snow lightly falling. By the time we arrive at the field, it is impossible to see any green grass. This was the case despite the fact that Georgia local and non-All-American weatherman Payton Eeles assured us that it “wouldn’t stick”. This situation escalates very quickly into snowmen and snowball fights with the opposing team. Leave it to baseball players to turn into children. Brendan Toungate became famous on social media when a video of him hitting a snowball was posted on NBC Sports Instagram and Twitter (not to mention Hunter Kraynak’s precious hand). The games are obviously cancelled, and we venture back to Cedarville on that glorious bus. All of this to say that our opening weekend was a very curious one. Let’s hope we can be just as entertaining this coming weekend with a little different result on the diamond.
This week’s freshman highlight:
Colton Eilers
Position: RHP
From: Spring Branch, TX
Colton has a very special role on the team this year. He has been given the “Hard Hat”, which is a literal construction hard hat that symbolizes a good work ethic and attitude. He is the first to receive this honor in Cedarville Baseball history, and it is a tradition that is going to continue among future freshman classes. The great thing about this is that Colton has to bring this hard hat everywhere we go. At the field? Hard Hat. In a restaurant? Hard Hat. In bed at the hotel? Hard Hat. The kid is relentless.
Thanks for reading and as always #GoJackets.
- Trace
Feb. 4, 2020
What’s goin' on?
It’s your friendly neighborhood fifth-year senior and keyboard warrior back for one last hoorah. Since we last spoke, a lot has changed:
For starters, the Cedarville Baseball team is now a team full of married and engaged men. Matthew Biermann and Elliott Gilmore are married men, while Logan Eby and Drew Minnich are soon to be.
Coach Steven Dennison has grown a lettuce patch on his head that would put some of the best hockey players to shame. Fifth-year Senior Riley Landrum graduated and is now a graduate student (no, we haven’t gotten rid of him yet).
Some things have stayed the same. Kevin Zhang has retired and unretired more than once, and Brendan Toungate still has the moustache that gave some of you nightmares last year. Dunbar and Micah were still homeschooled contrary to popular belief, and Noah Cline still enjoys a good chicken wing from the establishment known as Rooster’s.
New and old alike, this year is going to look different for Cedarville Baseball. We have nine new players this year (freshmen and transfers) and 19 returners. All of these new players are guys who are going to make an immediate impact on the team. This group includes seven seniors: Biermann, Eby, Gilmore, Landrum, Connor Culhane, Hunter Kraynak, and myself. We are all excited to get the season rolling in Georgia this upcoming weekend.
Last but not least, I want to introduce you to one of our freshmen this year:
Kale Ebling
Height: 5’10
Hometown: Lima, OH
Favorite Hobby: TikTok
Kale is an infielder that comes to us from the great state of Ohio. Known for many things other than his vegetable-laden name, he is a versatile young man who enjoys the finer things in life, such as long walks on the beach with his girlfriend under the stars. We can neither confirm nor deny that Kale is related to famous actor Heath Ledger, although it seems pretty evident when he is constantly asking us “Why so serious?”
Thanks for taking the time to keep up with us, and please keep us in your prayers as the season begins. We thank God for another season and opportunity to play the game we love. As always, #GoJackets!
- Trace
Trace Gillis is a senior pitcher from Buffalo, N.Y. and in his second season with the Yellow Jackets. He is a transfer from Niagara Community College and is a Dean's List student as a communication major at Cedarville.
