It has been almost two years since the return of the DU club baseball team and already the Pioneers are making a splash in the club baseball world.
Denver is ranked second in their conference with an overall record of 12-11 and a conference record of 8-3. The team has a 35 game schedule this year, with only four games remaining.
The Pioneers may have lost their chance to play in the club sports World Series after three consecutive losses to University of Wyoming over the weekend.
“There’s a chance. But either way, last year was the first year we had a team,” said Mari Yandall, general manager and founder of the club baseball team. “Wyoming is a good team, they’ve had a club team since they lost their varsity team.”
Yandall and head coach Jared Floyd started the team together after finding out that there was no option for students who wanted to play baseball.
“We just kind of barely scraped by last year,” Yandall said. “This year we had a fall season, we hosted a tournament and we had an alumni reunion where we brought the varsity baseball players back. We had a great time.”
The Pioneers also traveled to Tucson, Ariz. over spring break to play the club teams from University of Arizona and Arizona State University.
“University of Arizona’s club team is awesome. And every week we see club players going up and playing for varsity. Club teams are legit,” Yandall said.
The club baseball team had fall and spring seasons this year and may have a summer season.
Senior Anthony Floro, finance major, is one of the two capitans of the team and plays outfield and pitcher.
“I love baseball. I was out of it for a couple years and then when they brought it back, I really wanted to do it,” Floro said.
Floro added that the team has “great guys and a “great competitive spirit.” He is one of two seniors who will be leaving the team at the end of the season.
According to Yandall, people have been contacting the team and saying they want to come to DU because they can play baseball.
“It’s a good way to get involved on campus,” said Floro. “Keep your ears open on campus. We have try outs pretty much every quarter.”
There are always try outs in the fall, but if someone wants to try out during the year, they can contact the coach, said Yandall.
The Pioneers will be traveling to Gunnison, Colo. this Saturday and Sunday to play three games against conference rival Western State University. These games will close out their spring season. For more information about club baseball, go to duclubbaseball.com or search DU Club Baseball on facebook.
“I am really proud of what we have done. In the last year, we’ve competed with the best, I mean Divsion I as well,” Yandall said. “People miss baseball.”
