Baseball News

First Annual Centre Alumni Baseball Game a success

For the first time in the history of the Centre College baseball program, the Colonels hosted an Alumni Game Sunday, Sept. 28 at Gary Wright Field in Danville, Ky. In what hopes to become a yearly tradition, 33 former players returned to the field in an attempt to relive the glory days.

"I am amazed at the large turnout we had for the game," Centre head coach Mike Pritchard said. "It's something we've been wanting to do for a while and we decided at the last minute to try and start it this year. We sent out the information only a month before the game hoping to get 10-15 guys to return, but instead ended up with 33 alum able to make it back to campus," Pritchard added.

After watching the current Colonel baseball team play in an intrasquad in the morning, the alumni had an opportunity to have lunch together and catch up on old times, before taking the same field they once played on as a student-athlete at Centre.

Playing in front of family and friends, the teams were split based on the year they graduated; odd graduation years on one team and evens on the other. At the end of the day the odds came away with an 13-1 win, but regardless of the result, what transpired over the day was a fun-filled return to the glory days for all the returning alumni.

The most impressive player of the day was without a doubt Todd Scobee, class of '87. Scobee caught all nine-innings for the odds and oversaw the odd team's pitching staff that allowed only one run. He also batted second for the odds and displayed a sweet swing that was the envy of several current players on the Centre team.

"I feel reconnected to the program as well as impressed by the direction in which the team is heading," Scobee said. "I can't remember when I had that much fun," he added.

The odd team also witnessed stand-out play from outfielder Pete Tamborski, class of `75. Tamborski patrolled the outfield like a 20-year-old in his prime.

"I really do believe that the large turnout shows you what type of place Centre really is. One of our goals is to do a better job keeping the alumni involved as much as possible and I think this is one way we can do that. To have this many guys return on such short notice, I can't express to you how thrilled I was to see recent graduates that I had the opportunity to coach as well as guys that I had never met before," Pritchard finished.

The date for next year's game is already being discussed with plans to have even more alum return. If this year's game is any indication, the Centre Alumni Baseball Game will be a popular event for years to come.