Cole Catalano
Here is journal #1 for the 2010 season.
First things first I want to thank ILB for giving me the opportunity to give all of the Lion fans the “players” perspective of Southeastern baseball.
We are now entering the 4th week of the season and boy where does all the time go? I remember the fall seeming like an eternity in anticipation of the upcoming season and now we are about to enter conference play. The past 3 weeks have been quite monumental. The Lions are playing the best baseball in school history and there isn’t anything getting in our way. I guess you can say we have our eye on the prize and we are doing whatever it takes to win that conference championship.
To recap the year so far, the Lions opened the 2010 season with a series sweep over the defending Ohio Valley Conference Champions, Eastern Illinois. Took a convincing mid week contest over Mississippi Valley Sate. We then hit the road to Starkville to face the SEC’s Mississippi State. I can honestly say we swept them in all aspects of the game. It has been said that Mississippi State is a tough environment to play in, but the Lions not only shut the Bulldogs up on the field; our die hard Lion fans silenced those State fans and their cow bells. I personally want to thank our Lion fans who made the trip to Starkville. I can honestly say I don’t think any other road team could have silenced the State fans like ours did. Between the parades into the stadium, the noise makers, the Go Lion Chants, and the Green and Gold brooms to finish off a great weekend…I Thank You.
The Lions just recently finished off a great week with wins over Jackson State and ULL in 2 mid week contest. The Lions then took 2 of 3 from the Texas Southern University Tigers all at “The Pat” to put your roaring Lions at 11-1 on the year.
With the great success we are having thus far we have gained some national recognition. For the first time ever the Lions have cracked the national polls with the National Collegiate Baseball Newspaper ranking your Lions # 29 the week of March 1st and most recently your Lions have moved up those same polls and were tabbed with the #26 spot. I think its great we are finally getting recognized for our play on the field. We also owe our success to our awesome fans that have supported us through thick and thin over the years. You fans deserve this recognition just as much as we do. I have to say I am very impressed with the Lion faithful this year. At the pre season banquet this year I was asked to speak and I set out a challenge to all of our fans for the season. I told them I wanted “The Pat” to be the place everyone hated to play at. I told everyone I wanted to see noise makers, broom sticks (for sweeps), boots thrown on the field every time one of their players makes an error, and they have more the exceeded my expectations. Parading into the stadium, quieting more then 3,000 Miss state fans, chanting back and forth across the stadium, and heckling the opposing teams for their mistakes, ya’ll have done an AMAZING job.
Looking ahead we will now travel to Baton Rouge to face Southern University on Tuesday night. Then the fun begins, CONFERENCE!!! The UTSA roadrunners come to town and there is no question I want them to remember the weekend they had to play at The Pat”. So spread the word and tell all your family and friends, this is a huge weekend series for your Lions. How bout an opening conference sweep? Well with your continued support and love for your Lions we will be sweeping those Roadrunners back to Texas where they belong.
Until next week…………
Cole Catalano #31
1 comment:
That was great Cole. It is exactly what I would have come to expect from u even though we don't see each other as often as in the past. I truly had a great time at the games & look forward to seeing more. GO LIONS!!!!!!!!
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