IUN News
Mon, Nov 2, 2009 - [Baseball]

A little over a month ago we reported that the IU Northwest RedHawks baseball team was gearing up for a season of "fall ball," a schedule of scrimmage games, to ascertain the team's strengths and weaknesses. The team ended the short season with an 8-4 record, a more experienced roster, and a confident coaching staff.

Among the biggest wins were victories over Calumet College of Saint Joseph and South Suburban College, two local teams that we compete with for players. The RedHawks are already garnering more attention.
Coach Dan Soria said, "With the way we played and the teams we beat, we're getting a lot more respect in the area."
They beat Calumet College of Saint Joseph by more than ten runs. The victory had a personal meaning to Soria.
"I used to be the head coach of that team," he said about the importance of the victory, "I did that for three years, so beating them means that I've moved on to a better program."
South Suburban College has one of Indiana's premier junior baseball programs. They won regional titles in 2007 and 2008 and racked up more than 40 wins both years.
About the RedHawks victory over such a successful team, Soria said, "[The win] proved that my freshman and sophomore players are some of the best baseball players in the area."
Soria also mentioned that few of his players "stand out." The first of such is sophomore Justin Fraught, an ex-South Suburban Bulldog, who batted around .500, hit five home runs, and played "excellent defense."
Soria is most impressed with his pitching staff, most notably Chris Jefferson and Tony Balcazar. "Balcazar and Jefferson are leading the way," Soria said. "Balcazar pitched great in the fall proving [to me] he will be the ace of the staff come spring."
Even with the stable pitching, winning record, and ability to beat region-leading teams, Soria recognizes that there are still aspects of the game his team can improve upon.
He said, "Fall Ball helped me see what we need to work on. We most need to work on base running and situational hitting."
They have plenty of time for that between now and the spring season, but at this point, we already know the RedHawks can win games (8-4 record), defeat championship teams (South Suburban College), and excel in certain areas (pitching staff). It's time to get excited.
   
**Written by The Northwest Phoenix Editor-in-Chief: Don Sjoerdsma