Baseball CAC Champs: Back and Ready for Action

Baseball season is right around the corner, and for the Frostburg State University Bobcats the season’s expectations are sky-high. Coming off of a 43-9 record and holding the NCAA Champion title, there’s no doubt these Bobcat men have fans anxious for what’s to come. The team will be traveling to Salem Va. for a doubleheader against Roanoke College, February 13, 2016.

Roanoke College is one of many universities the Bobcats will be competing against this season. Schools like Salisbury University, Mary Washington, Christopher Newport and York College of Pa., are just a few top competitors. “Every year you go in and you try to evaluate what you have in front of you, at least I do. Salisbury is obviously always going to be a rival. I think that since we entered the league in 2011 they’ve been a tough opponent and we have for them as well. Mary Washington has had a great program and great history of success,” says coach Robertson. Salisbury University (74 points) will be one of FSU’s biggest competitors this year as they were ranked #1 in the CAC Preseason Poll. Mary Washington University (72 points) is a close second to Salisbury and ranks just one point above the Bobcats (#3).

With a new season ahead, there have been a few additions to the Bobcat team roster. Coach Robertson spoke out about some newcomers expected to make an impact, starting with senior KJ Hockaday, a transfer student from the University of Maryland. In 2011 Hockaday was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 14^th round, and Robertson is “certainly excited about getting him between the lines here.” Secondly is junior Devin Bell, a transfer student who previously attended junior college and was able to make it to the World Series. Bell is “physically gifted and really mature. He came in and fit in really well from what we’re trying to do from a team stand point,” says Robertson. Another transfer student expected to stand out is Anderson Burgess, a left-handed pitcher. Lastly, Connor Gorman; Gorman was a transfer student last year but due to recovering from Tommy John surgery (TJS), decided to red shirt.

“I think what we have to do is maximize the potential and ability of the 2016 group. I don’t think we want to try to compare or re-create what we did in 2015 because we got a lot of new players. Some of the guys that were on the team in 2015 have new roles so I think its just about maximizing what we can do with this group and making sure we get the most out of them,” says Coach Robertson when asked how he was looking to improve the upcoming season. Frostburg State University’s men’s baseball team not only made history by setting a new university record of 43-9 but also made their first appearance in the World Series.

Assisting the Bobcats in making history was baseball alumni Greg Ross who made history of his own signing with the Baltimore Orioles. Ross pitched for the Bobcats during the 2010 and 2011 seasons and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 18^th round his first year of out college. Ross had an amazing 2014 season pitching 146 hits, 47 walks and 80 strikeouts. His earned run average (ERA) was 3.99 taking the Double-A Mississippi 7-9. Coach Robertson acknowledged his feelings as special being that he was “excited, happy and proud of him.”

When asked if he feels pressure to live up to the same standards or better than the 2015 season, Coach stated, “by no means is there any pressure to try to repeat/duplicate what we did last year. I’ve tried to make it very clear to the guys that it’s very important that we try to make the most of 2016 because there are several guys that weren’t on the team in 2015. So we need to start over, at the bottom and go through the process and figure out how to win with this group and how to go out and compete against great teams. In the end we hope obviously that we get the chance to compete for a conference championship; that’s going to be the goal every year.”

Frostburg State University wishes the Bobcats good luck as they travel to Salem Va. for their season opener.