The “Bruin Express” should start revving its engine. As SLCC first baseman Scott Manning said, “It’s a bus that fits all and tells all that SLCC is coming.”
Baseball is just around the corner at SLCC. An interview with Manning helped uncover more that fans will see this season aside from the standard hot dogs and hard bleachers when the Bruins sprint on to Cate Field at Jordan Campus.
In talking about the make-up of the team, Manning thinks the team will be pretty good. He described the squad as, “A young team. Most of the players will be new…but we have great pitching and outstanding team speed.”
Leading that great pitching staff will be returning starter Tyson Memmot and Josh Mooney of Pleasant Grove, who doubles as an outfielder. Helping lead the defense will be Eddy Alvarez, a shortstop who hails from Miami, Florida. The team will open play in September, playing some exhibition games, then rest for the winter and resume play the last weekend in January with a tournament in Las Vegas. Conference play will see its first pitch in February. As far as conference play is concerned, Manning said, “We expect to compete for the region title and hopefully move on to the regional tournament.”
Two teams in particular are seen as stumbling blocks to that success.
“College of Southern Nevada is a very talented team out of Vegas who are the returning champs. And Western Nevada Community College is a very well coached team out of Carson City, Nevada,” said Manning.
In addition to outside forces competing against the team, Manning said that just like any other ball club, SLCC has its own set of internal challenges to take care of in order to be successful.
“We will need to develop good team unity quickly and also show poise and responsibility on and off the field. We also have a few early injuries that we need to recover from,” said Manning.
Despite the opposition, Manning is confident that opposing fans will be intimidated by the play of the Bruins, even more so than the sight of the “Bruin Express.”
He said that typical attendance at games is about 150 people. The team needs more. Manning declares how SLCC students can most support the squad. “By coming out to the games and helping the team stay excited through the long, grinding season.”