Veteran baseball team optimistic about chemistry amid early-season struggles

This year’s baseball team has 40 players — three more than last year’s squad, which finished 36-26 and captured the ASUN Championship.

It’s also facing interesting dynamics and changes. With 30 of the players at junior level or above, some might expect a top-heavy split.

But the players say that’s not the case with this team, despite the 10-23 start to the season.

Senior outfielder Alex Vergara has been on the Lipscomb team for the past two years and has been playing college baseball for the past five.

“This is the best the chemistry has ever felt,” Vergara said. “A lot of times I think guys say that [their] team is the closest [in] junior college… just because everyone’s closer in age. But this fall was really good because a lot of us would hang out, we’d all go over to Trace [Willhoite]’s house and just sit around the fire and watch college football, so we got to bond really well there.

“[One night] I think probably 75 percent of the team just went up to the caf to see how much we could eat. I’ve never done that before, but it was a lot of fun.”

Freshmen infielder Caleb Scott, despite being much newer to the team and to college baseball as a whole, shared the sentiment.

“There’s a lot more chemistry here [than in high school], too; people care more,” Scott said. “As far as teams I’ve been on, this is the best team chemistry I’ve ever been introduced to….The guys kind of welcomed me in and everybody else in. So it’s just kind of like a big family that just adopted [everyone] pretty quick… There isn’t a guy on the team that doesn’t like somebody else… They may not be best friends, but they’re still friends and hang out outside. There’s always something to do with the team.”

Senior right-handed pitcher Bryce Houghton spoke about both the make-up of the team and its chemistry.

“We’ve definitely got the pieces to be a great team,” he said. “The chemistry is definitely there. We haven’t played up to our complete potential yet, but we’re going to get there, and we’re gonna be a really good team.” 

As the team has learned to play together, Houghton said it has picked up steam with each game, and the chemistry has kept getting better.

“[We’ve] got a really close-knit group,” he said. “We did last year, too, but I just feel like everybody on this team gets along and just wants the best for one another… We’re going to keep on grinding and keep coming together. And I think the best way to respond is to continue to grow close together, build that bond.”

Sports require a lot of time commitment from its athletes, and baseball is no exception. If the players aren’t on the field, they could be in the gym, the batting cages or the bullpens. Even with classes, Houghton said he spends at least six hours a day on the field.

But even when you’re spending that much time on the field or other places working on your sport and your skills, there are still a lot of other things to keep up with. The players have to find the balance between baseball, school, family, relationships and, most importantly, God.

“God’s always first,” Scott said. “That’s always a priority. School is just about time management, so maybe doing homework in class while taking notes, [working] before practice, late nights after practice. School’s always big. Family — they’re always there… you always gotta make at least 15 minutes out of your day, I feel like, to talk to them.”

“I think [finding] that [balance is] the hardest thing to do,” Vergara said. “I mean, college [is] already busy enough when you’re just a student and you’re not playing any sports.”

Vergara delved into the day-to-day schedule that players face.

“Some guys have 7:30 lifts, and then they’ve got to go straight to class,” he said. “And then you got to go to chapel and then you got to find time to eat. Then you got to go to conditioning or whatever you have then. Then you have early hitting, then you have practice. It’s… a lot.

“Last year for probably the first three or four weeks when I got here it was just like the biggest grind I’ve ever been on,” he said. “I wasn’t used to having to balance school and having to cook my own food and having to do all that stuff. And then having a girlfriend on top of that, it’s hard, man. But you fall in love with it.”

Houghton said he learned balance the hard way.

“In high school, I fell into the trap of [putting] baseball first,” Houghton said. “Not above my family, maybe, but it was above God. Then I got hurt my junior year of high school and had to have surgery, and that made me realize that my identity was being found in baseball, and that’s not where it needs to be found.

“And so I had to switch my mindset and realize that getting to play this game is a gift. It’s an opportunity to worship the Lord every time I go out there. And so, I think, once I found my identity back in Christ and put Him first, then everything else kind of like fell into line. But the time balance is tough.”Houghton said that devising a routine helps.

“As soon as I get off the field, I’m trying to call my family, call my girlfriend, do some homework, whatever that may be,” Houghton said. “I’m trying to just make sure I have time for all of them. But I think first and foremost, I try and get in my quiet time every day because if I don’t get homework done, that’s fine. But I got to get God in.” 

Vergara agreed with this discipline: “You got to get into a routine. Otherwise things are going to speed up on you. You’re gonna miss classes. You’re gonna miss workouts. So a routine is extremely important.”

Scott emphasized the importance of relationships.

“As far as relationships and friendships, they come and they go,” Scott added. “Cherish them while they’re there, and then when they leave, or if they do happen to leave, you know, just stay focused on what’s always there, which is God, and hopefully baseball.” 

For Houghton, the relationships with his teammates go beyond the diamond.

“[I’m most looking forward to] just the time with my teammates outside of baseball,” Houghton said with a smile. “Like, I love baseball, I love being on the field, but I think what you can’t get back is that time that you spend together.”

But for now, Houghton said he is looking forward to success on the field.

“We’re flashing signs of what we can do,” he said. “And here soon, it’s all going to come together.

“Let’s go win some ball games!”