[author image=”http://echo.snu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/gladephoto-7773.jpg”]
Glade Pittenger, Staff Contributor
Glade Pittenger is a senior at SNU majoring in Sports Information. He hopes to become a commentator for NBA basketball, and loves health, fitness and nutrition. He also enjoys Herbalife because it helps him stay active and reach his goals. [/author]
As the 2016 baseball season gets into full swing, many Crimson Storm fans are wondering what the SNU community can expect from the team this year. To find out more on this subject, I interviewed Anthony Wiggins, a junior on the baseball team out of Chula Vista, California, and Dante Archuleta, a senior out of Brighton, Colorado who transferred from William Penn University in Iowa.
I began with asking Wiggins what his role is as a junior on the team.
“Just trying to be there for the guys and to be a servant to them,” said Wiggins. “[I] basically help them with what they need and help them get better.”
This is his third season on the team, and his teammates and coaches expect much from him.
I also asked him who some transfers or true freshman will be that will be a stand out on the team this year.
“We have a new third baseman named Shelby Reese who is a good asset; definitely a five tool player,” Wiggins commented. “We also have Tyler Stevens who is a power hitting catcher. He will help the middle of our lineup.”
When questioned about how SNU is predicted to finish last place in their conference this year, Wiggins replied, “We were predicted to finish last, and we are going into every game with a chip on our shoulder to prove that we won’t be there by the end of the season.”
Archuleta commented on his transfer experience and his role as a senior player on the team.
“It’s been good,” said Archuleta. “[It] was hard to get used to a new place, but Oklahoma has been good to me. [As a senior], I’m just supposed to set an example.”
Being one of the older players on the team means Archuleta has plenty of experience and knows more than a lot of players.
Asking how the off season treated him and the rest of the team, he said, “We are just approaching everything with a purpose, and our team chemistry is great.”
One of the final questions I asked Wiggins also had to deal with how he felt the off season workouts helped the team.
“This year we focused a lot on strength training, and being in the weight room at 5 a.m. I feel like [is] already paying off on the field.”
The team’s next game is at home against Cameron University this Friday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m.