Category: College Baseball

Wrapping up a Wild and Wonderful Sunday that included Breakfast at Hawk’s Nest 🪹, touring NRCC, baseball ⚾️ with our 3 Muskies, Special Olympics Basketball 🏀 practice and asking Money 💰 Talley to wish Jabin a Happy 20th Birthday 🎂! Other than that, just another day in the neighborhood…

The view at Breakfast
The Campus
5 – 3 – 2 at Calfee Park

Some days, when you wake ⏰️ up and attempt to do your interpretation of God’s work, it’s rather easy. Other days, it takes a bit out of you.

Met this man 👨 today !

Yes, I am the definition of worn out, but hey, I don’t have to be anywhere until it’s time for the Kickin Kinney’s to play Soccer tomorrow at Tommy Thompson Field on The Hill ! After game one, Adrienne Harris McGuire and her Lady Cavaliers protect our pitch in the nightcap.

Time to say goodnight, Gracie…..

Borrowing from PTI, 5 Good Minutes with Brescia University right fielder, Grant Huebner !

Grant Huebner entered the game against West Virginia Tech University on Friday afternoon in his terms, ” riding the struggle Bus. “

Occupying the number nine spot on the lineup card of Skipper, Casey Hamilton and playing right field, Huebner (Heep-ner) had himself a day.

In the bottom of the second inning Huebner laced a RBI single and would come around to score the teams fourth run.

In the bottom of the 3rd he started the decisive rally with two outs and nobody on by launching a double. Grant would come around to score again.

Bottom of the 4th, it was a 2-run Bomb💣 that started to put the game out of reach.

Grant did realize that he was a Triple away from hitting for the cycle and the game had not reached the Midway point.

Leading off the top of the sixth it was a single, stolen base and yes for the fourth straight time, a run scored. The top of the sixth got away from us as the Bearcats plated 12 runs and Huebner returned to the plate in the same inning. This time it was a walk and a run 🏃‍♂️ scored.

At bat number six took place in the seventh inning which turned out to be the last one due to the run rule. Yet another single and run scored. The game ended 29 – 14 on a day where the wind played havoc with every ball hit into the air. If the Golden Bears had rallied again in the bottom of the seventh, Huebner would have batted fourth in the eighth.

From the struggle Bus 🚌 to the Penthouse, at least for the day. All under the watchful eye of Big Brother, Gavin. Gavin played for the Bearcats and now is part of the coaching staff.

Final stat line –

On base percentage – 1000%

5 for 5 with a walk 🚶‍♂️

6 runs scored, 1 stolen base and 3 RBI

This is Max Johnson, their leadoff hitter and center fielder. Johnson must have been highly motivated by Huebner on Friday afternoon because he put on a show across the Saturday doubleheader.

Johnson entered the box 📦 20 times across the three games and scored 10 runs, including the game winner in a heartbreaking 9-8 contest that ended the weekend.

Hamilton comes from Baseball ⚾️ royalty as the Son of a High School baseball coach with over 1,000 wins in the Ashland, Kentucky area. Solid individual who represents our game well

Good Luck the rest of the way fellas…

Every morning 🌄 when I wake up, I do two things. Give thanks to God for waking up and ask the question – how can I serve him today ? This week he must have known that I needed a Booster Shot because I heard a voice…

I have been Blessed 🙌 to have quite a few next level individuals placed in my path over the decades. Dr. T. Ramon Stuart sits incredibly high on that list.

The distinguished Gentleman is the President of West Virginia Tech University and does a tremendous job for the Student Body in Beckley, West Virginia. His background and mine has some similarities in regards to our humble upbringings but this young Man took his game and love for Education and took it to a different level if not universe.

Everything is life is a bit more of a challenge due to health issues, especially when it comes to traveling. So on Tuesday morning, when it was time to head towards Charleston, I had to pad the window by a couple of hours to allow for a Rest Area nap along the way.

Fast Forward to arriving in Beckley, where the campus is located. Our games that day were being played one hour further North so I parked the car and decided a long walk across the campus might be the best way to wake up and get the blood flowing.

We don’t play baseball on campus so its very rare for me to take in the sights and sounds of the small grounds so I was taking it all in. It was just about time to get back in the Car 🚗 and head up the turnpike for the games.

Then, I was startled by a voice that came out of nowhere. To clarify my relationship with West Virginia Tech University, I announce for the Baseball team, write ✍ for them and do my very best to help my long time friend, Lawrence Nesselrodt keep the Train 🚆 on the tracks.

For 18 years now, we team up with the Legendary Joe Goddard and try to guide young Men through a key 🔑 part of their life. It’s not just about Baseball, at least not at Tech.

Not an Alumni, Not a Big Booster, but hey, I do have a nice title for my volunteer position. I’m the Director of Baseball Operations which sounds Awesome but I’m a small pebble in the pond that is WVU-T.

The voice calling out to me was that of Dr. Stuart. It might have been the cane or the odd gate that allowed him to spot me from 50 feet away while he was greeting a Student at the front door to his office.

We have had previous conversations since the took the title of President but this one was different because seeing the humility that this Man has while doing a very difficult job impressed me even more.

The task that day was to hand sign a certificate for each and every Student who made the Presidents List. The next step was his Staff would take a Photo 📷 of the Student and Dr. Stuart, much like the one above where I had the privilege of standing next to him.

We went on to Charleston and played baseball ⚾️ for five hours and split a double header with West Virginia Wesleyan. Afterwards, I would set a new record for the closest Hotel 🏨 I have needed to stop at in regards to miles from our home. Forty Five miles for those of you scoring along.

I ended up with a few keepsakes out of the 15 minutes we spent together but the lasting impact came in the acknowledgment from someone who I have a Coal Truck full of respect for.

If you have an opportunity to take a moment or two, one never knows what it might do to lift the spirits of the person who you are sharing the time with.

Yesterday afternoon, as I was finishing up a conversation with Track Coach Shawn Montgomery, I was headed back to my car and head back to Laurel Fork at the end of two very long days. Just short of reaching the car, I crossed paths with two sharp looking young people.

Isaiah Easter was walking across campus with Ali Wright. Two young Student Athletes that enjoy spending time together and this led to an opportunity to have a conversation with them.

I believe that I have written pretty much everything I going to write ✍ about the youngest of the Easter children and the next time Ali will play for the School is Volleyball next fall. Not to say that the brief exchange with the two left the impression with them that my time with the President did but I would like to think it mattered.

Life happens FAST and people stay busy but try hard to never be too busy to show kindness to others and not just when its to your benefit.

I think this one brings me to within one of being caught up !!!