When Maximum Effort Isn't Enough
Senior night. A night that every former athlete remembers for the rest of their life. For Berea College’s seniors, this may be a night they want to forget. With their first game of a three game series with the Huntingdon College Hawks, the Mountaineers fell short by ten runs with a total score of 27-17. Even though this was an outstanding performance from Berea, it still was not enough to lift the spirits of our six beloved seniors.
In the first inning, the entire Mountaineer baseball squad struck fire as they racked up five runs by the end of the inning. You could hear the crowd roar as our catcher Andrew Akins hit a double to center field scoring both Belleville and Summey. At this point the entire dugout was at the fence with excitement as it looked like they were going to bounce back from their three losses at Maryville. With a lead of 9-7 going into the seventh inning, the Mountaineers fed the crowd with impressive batting and a stone wall defense. However, the energy was quickly drained from them in the seventh inning when Huntingdon College scored eleven runs on freshman Baylor Manire. Hit after hit, the Hawks kept placing the ball perfectly in gaps eventually making the score 18-9. You could truly see the spirits of our beloved Mounties, especially our seniors, fall as they watched runner after runner score on their home plate.
Although Berea tried to keep their heads high as they brought the deficit down to a three run game in the eighth inning, their hopes were shattered once again as nine more Huntingdon Hawks crossed home plate to make the score 27-15. It is always heartbreaking as a fan to see your college get beaten when you know they gave their maximum effort. If you tried to look at each of their faces, all you could see is the bill of their hat as they looked down in defeat and humiliation. But, after the game ended and the dust settled, our Mountaineers looked hopeful as they grabbed their gloves in preparation for the following game in the series because they knew that there was still a chance to give their seniors a senior night to remember.
