5 Quick Questions with Cornell Lacrosse Star, Rob Pannell

This past week, Rob Pannell, a Senior Attack man for the Big Red men’s lacrosse team touched down in Uganda to help coach lacrosse and launch a social entrepreneurship venture with Fields of Growth International. FoG “aims to harness the passion of the lacrosse community into positive social impact through global leadership development, service and growing the game.” 

With project development across a variety of locations including Uganda, Costa Rica and Jamaica, and the recent support from Pannell; it is certainly a very exciting time for the non-profit.

With alumni, including players such Ryan Flanagan, Tom Schreiber, Chad Wiedmaier, Hilary Bowen and Hannah Nielsen, the program that began as a grassroots movement to grow lacrosse has become an international force in global leadership development and social entrepreneurship. More information on the organization can be found on their website and the announcement can be seen here. 

I, myself, was fortunate enough to travel with a group of players to Uganda this summer to help coach the national team and continue on with several community service projects. I am happy to answer any questions about getting involved or donations. I can be reached at rjn64@cornell.edu.

I was fortunate enough to ask Rob a few questions about this upcoming experience and his final season on the field for the Big Red.

Read the interview after the jump.

You have made a full recovery since your devastating injury last season. Can you talk a little bit about what you have been up to this summer and fall and the progress you've made physically with your foot?

At this point, I would say I have made a full recovery since last Spring, but am continuing to rehab my foot weekly and do my part here at home while the team is working hard back up in Ithaca.  This past summer, I started playing out in Vail as well as a tournament in Lake Placid and a summer league on Long Island.  This allowed me to ease back into playing.  This Fall I have been training on my own down on Long Island and recently played in a lacrosse game with Team USA down at the Landon School and in a tournament out in Hawaii.  I am doing my best to keep in shape and keep my skills sharp knowing that the boys are doing their best back on campus.  

How did your connection come about with Fields of Growth? Can you speak about what you are hoping to gain from the trip? 

My connection to Fields of Growth came about from a family whos kids I began to train in lacrosse, the Schietingers, who have participated in Fields of Growth over the year and have become very involved with the program.  They put me in touch with Kevin Dugan and I am every excited about the opportunity!

What are your hopes for the Cornell squad this upcoming season? To what extend have you been involved with the team despite not being on campus this fall?

I have high hopes for the Cornell team this season, but we are going to take it one day at a time.  They had a great Fall Ball tournament this Fall and have been working hard in practice and in the weight room preparing themselves for the season.  We have a great group of experienced seniors and a lot of talent returning all over the field.  I think we will also have more depth than we have had in the past and you will see a lot of players contributing come game day.  I have been keeping in touch with the captains this Fall but I am not allowed to take part in any team activities.  I trust that the captains are doing a great job though and everyone else is doing their job as well.  

What's next for Rob Pannell beyond graduation? 

Still figuring that out but am looking forward to staying every involved within the lacrosse world.

You're obviously psyched to get back on the field and on campus, what's the one non-lacrosse feature of Cornell you're looking forward to getting back to the most?

I cant wait to get back to Ithaca in January and to get back with the team and get playing again.  Aside from lacrosse though I am just looking forward to being back in Ithaca and taking in everything it has to offer.  Cornell and Ithaca has been great to me over the years and I couldn't be more excited for another semester!

From the Booth #4: The Champs Get Their Rings

Photo courtesy of Kellen Urbon

This is the fourth post in a series featuring the Cornell At Bat broadcasting team. These posts will appear throughout the Fall and Spring semesters. For part one of the series, click here. For part two, click here. For part three, click here.

A day to celebrate an amazing achievement.

After last season’s amazing journey and first semester’s classes finally coming to a close, it was time for the Ivy League Champions to get their rings.  For many, it was a chilly Saturday morning like any other, a day to relax after a long week of classes. But for every member of Cornell’s baseball team, it was a special day to remember the great feat they accomplished last season and we were lucky enough to be able to be a part of the celebration.

As the players arrived, including this year’s freshmen and three of last year’s seniors, Schoellkopf’s Hall of Fame Room began to buzz.  Even as an observer, you could feel the camaraderie and the genuine bond that exists between them.  The conversations flowed effortlessly, some even making their way across the room as they tried to chat with those at other tables without getting up.

As we ate brunch, the W.C. Matthews Trophy made its way around the room stopping at each table for a visit.  The trophy was named for William Clarence Matthews in 2006 and honors each year’s Ivy League baseball champion; Matthews was an outstanding African-American athlete in the early 20th century, and a pioneer in both baseball and law.

The ceremony started with a few words from Head Coach Bill Walkenbach, after which began the distribution of rings.  The rings were made by Balfour and personalized with the individual players’ name, number and position.  Distribution began with the members of the Class of 2012 who were able to return to campus to take part in the ceremony.  After receiving their rings, Frank Hager shared some very moving words of wisdom and gratitude with the team; it was a speech that could not be followed.  After the Class of 2012, the rings continued to be distributed by class in chronological order.

After the players received their rings, Coach Walkenbach thanked each one of the coaches and trainers individually as they were given rings of their own.  Once all the rings had been passed out, it was time for the recap video; the video was put together by Alex using pictures from last season provided by the players’ families.  And with that the ceremony ended. Though some were unable to make it, the sense of gratitude for what they do and have done was still very present.  The team has clearly been working hard and is ready to jump into next season and hopefully win the Ivy League Championship Series again.

For more information on Cornell At Bat or if you want to get involved, contact Alex Gimenez email at ajg322@cornell.edu. For previous Cornell At Bat adventures, look here, here, here, here, and here.  

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From the Booth #3: Big Red Advanced Stats

This is the third post in a six post series featuring the Cornell At Bat broadcasting team. These posts will appear throughout the Fall semester. For part one of the series, click here. For part two, click here. 

Here at Cornell At Bat, we are devoted to delivering the Big Red fans with the  latest and most in-depth analysis of the baseball team. This year, analyzing statistics will be at the forefront of my duties with Cornell At Bat. Sabremetrics, or advanced stats, have taken the baseball world by storm over the past few years, especially after Michael Lewis’ book Moneyball and the film that followed it. However, advanced analysis  of NCAA baseball has little to no existence. I thought it would be interesting to preliminarily derive one of the most basic and popular sabre stats for the Big Red: WAR, or Wins Above Replacement.

WAR attempts to assess the overall value of a team’s players compared to the average player (the replacement). Batting WAR attempts to minimize the habit of simply looking at traditional and less valuable stats, such as AVG and RBIs, in an effort to get the most accurate assessment of a player’s talent and value. WAR is at the forefront of analyzing MLB players and their success. This has especially been seen with the debate of the American League MVP, where proponents of Mike Trout receiving the award claim that he has the highest WAR of any player in recent years. Determining WAR for an NCAA team is a lot harder however, for certain statistics that equate to a very precise WAR do not exist. My WAR for the Big Red is a very rough and basic form, as the stat really isn’t developed for anything besides MLB at the moment. Stats like park adjusted stats for average OBP and SLG don’t exist for the NCAA, and neither do other advanced stats that would make the calculations more precise.

My calculations for the Big Red WAR values were accomplished using an online calculator. For the calculator, I needed to input the critical stats for WAR of the average, replacement player (OBP and SLG). I used the averages from the whole Ivy League for the 2012 season for this facet. I then inputted individual stats from the Big Red team last year for all of the other categories, as well as the players’ positions (certain positions have higher values). For fielding and base running, they ask for a scale from best to worst, and I came to conclusions using fielding percentage and steals/ caught stealing percentages. I compared each player’s stats against each other to come up with the scale.

Although not completely precise, these WAR values will still accurately assess the players’ values. Also included is RAR (Runs Above Replacement), which is the sum of all the run components (Batting, Fielding, and Base Running). WAR is derived from RAR by dividing it by a runs per win constant, which is standardly set at 10/game for MLB (I couldn’t change this, but if I eventually calculate the Ivy League’s runs per win, I can redo the computations). Here are the WAR and RAR values for the 2011-2012 Big Red:

Returning members with over 20 games played, in order of most valuable to least:

 Brenton Peters: 1.6 WAR, RAR 15.8

 Chris Cruz: 1.5 WAR, RAR 15.2

 Ben Swinford: 0.6 WAR, RAR 6.1

 Tom D’Alessandro: 0. 6 WAR, RAR 6.0

 JD Whetsel: 0.1 WAR, RAR 1.0

 Kevin Tatum: -0.1 WAR, RAR -0.8

 Matt Hall: -0.2 WAR, RAR -2.0

Departing Starters, in order of most valuable to least:

Brian Billigen: 2.6 WAR, RAR 26.6

Brandon Lee: 1.2 WAR, RAR 12.2

Frank Hager: 1.0 WAR, RAR 10

Marshall Yanzick: 0 WAR, RAR 0.2

For more information about this post, please contact Alex Garcia at asg232@cornell.edu. 

For more information on Cornell At Bat or if you want to get involved, contact Alex Gimenez email at ajg322@cornell.edu. For previous Cornell At Bat adventures, look here, here, here, here, and here.  

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From the Booth #2: An Interview with Zach McCulley

This is the second post in a six post series featuring the Cornell At Bat broadcasting team. These posts will appear throughout the Fall semester. For part one of the series, click here. 

One hallmark of any successful baseball team is depth on the mound. Following a strong 2012 season where Cornell set a program record 31 victories and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time ever, the hopes for repeating as Ivy League champions will largely rest on the team’s pitching staff. Adding to the already deep Big Red staff will be 6-foot-5 left handed transfer Zach McCulley.

The tall and lanky southpaw from Faulkner State Community College boasts a solid three pitch mix with an upper eighties fastball, a solid breaking ball, and a changeup. McCulley brings real experience to the team, and will be a welcome addition to the Big Red stockpile of arms.

Cornell At-Bat sat down with Zach to talk baseball, his journey to Cornell, and how through it all, his faith guides him. Read the interview after the jump.


Me: “Hey Zach, thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. How’s it going?”

Zach: “You got it, man. My pleasure.”

“Let’s get right into it, shall we? We’ll start you off with an easy one to get it started. Where are you from originally?”

Zach: I was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida, way down south. It’s much warmer there than up here, as I’m starting to learn, but it was really just a solid place to grow up.

It’s definitely a bit of culture shock, coming up north. Could you tell us a little bit about why you did choose to come to Cornell?

Zach: Well, being a transfer, this is the fifth school I’ve been at. William & Mary, Pensacola State, NW Florida State, and Faulkner State. Cornell was just the right fit for me and my family. It’s obviously a good mix of baseball and academics. After about a year and a half of reevaluating where I was going in life, I realized this was just the right place that God wants me.

Definitely. Can you take us through your personal path and how you traveled through all those different places?

Zach: Out of high school, I went to play baseball at William & Mary, but after a semester there I decided to transfer. Baseball wasn’t taken too seriously there and neither were academics and some of the other things outside of baseball. It was a real loose environment, and wasn’t really a fit for me. Spring semester of my freshman year, I was actually out of baseball and just went to school [at Pensacola] and that gave me a bit more time to reevaluate where I wanted to go with as far as baseball is concerned, and how I was going to let faith determine my path. Through the other two junior colleges, I was able to prepare to come here by getting the most innings possible under my belt.

How long did this whole process take, start to finish and eventually winding up here at Cornell?

Zach: It was about January of my freshman year until this past August when I committed here. It was a solid chunk of time spent just searching.

I think that speaks to your mental toughness, being able to go through that. Can you describe your season last year?

Zach: Junior College baseball is A LOT different from here. It’s a real blue collar environment in the respect that you’re doing field maintenance almost just as much as you’re doing actual work pitching or hitting. That really helps, though. We were more pals than teammates. It was really like an extension of high school baseball. We had a good run though as a team, and got to go down to Ozark, Alabama (the middle of nowhere) for our conference championships. It’s definitely a lot different from Ivy League athletics.

Did you work at any other positions?

Zach: (laughing) They didn’t want me to drop any bombs. It wouldn’t be fair for anyone.

(laughing) I see. Did you primarily start or come out of the bullpen?

Zach: My first appearance was actually out of the ‘pen and it was rather shaky. I came in with the bases loaded and preceded to cash ‘em in with a home run. That was definitely a humbling experience. They figured I wasn’t too good out of the ‘pen, so from there I started.

Ouch, that’s rough, but I suppose it worked out for the better. Off the field, what do you see yourself doing post-graduation?

Zach: To be honest, my answer to that question has probably changed a lot in the last year and a half. Initially I wanted to come here to make a lot of money (laughing). That’s what the word is. You go to an Ivy League school, you get a sweet job, and you’re set. But then I really started to understand the Gospel and what it means to have true faith in Jesus Christ. My goals have shifted and I’m not really sure where I’ll end up, but I’m hoping it’s a place where my faith can be exhibited through my job field and my entire life.

Do you see yourself staying in the game somewhere?

Zach: I can’t really imagine what it would be like to not have anything to do with baseball. I feel like the game will always have a place in what I’m doing, but honestly, I don’t know. I’d like to say so, but I just don’t.

What else are you involved with here on campus?

Zach: I’m involved with a few things here or there. I’m actually a member of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and that’s a group that’s starting to grow and mature together. I’m also involved with another Christian Fellowship on Campus, CRU, and that’s really allowed me to meet a lot of great guys who share faith in Christ as well. It’s definitely important to get plugged into a community that you can grow together with. Other than that, I’m a semi-pro/amateur Ping-Pong phenom. A lot of time is spent their working on my game (laughs).

That’s awesome, definitely important to get connected. I’m going to give you a couple lighter questions here, rapid-style fire, ready?

Zach: Oh yeah.

Favorite team?

Zach: Braves. Or anyone that’s winning and/or has soft-tossing lefties.

When did you start playing?

Zach: When I was 3 and a half, got some pre-teeball action going on.

Were you always a lefty?

Zach: They actually tied my right arm behind my back. It was actually a little bit shorter than my left arm growing up. They took it seriously in my house (laughs).

Did your dad play baseball?

Zach: He did in high school, but he was a football guy and played at Navy. He broke all his knees, so he never had me play. I’ve always been baseball.

Starter or Reliever?

Zach: I had a good fall, was healthy. We have a lot of solid pitchers, and I think there’s 8 left-handers. There’s going to be a lot of competition, and I’d like to start. Hopefully within three-years that’ll happen.


Compared to fellow lefty,Cole Hamels for his
stature, McCulley hopes to perfect his craft like the Phillies' ace

 

Any other position you’d like to play?

Zach: Hmmm….

I know you’re a left and all of y’all like to tell me shortstop-

Zach: (laughs) I was leaning toward short, but I’ll go with catcher. I’d like to get dirty, throw my body in front of those balls in the dirt.

Very nice. If you could do dinner with three people, who would it be?

Zach: Oh man. Wow, well first off, it would have to be Jesus Christ. Christ died for me, and if I could speak to him at dinner, wow, I don’t think there could be a greater joy a man could have. Second, I’d have to go with the apostle Paul. The biggest thing that I’ve found in my faith is that I haven’t been bold enough when I could’ve been. Throughout the gospel you see that Paul is the boldest guy there is. Third, oh man, that’s a tough one. Let’s go with Stonewall Jackson. General Stonewall Jackson, one of the toughest men that ever lived.

(laughing) Stonewall Jackson? Wow, do you know why he’s called Stonewall?

Zach: I’d imagine it’s because he’s American, he fears nothing, and I heard he had rock-hard abs. Stonewall abs.

(chuckles) Excellent. How about pre-game, any routines/supersitions?

Zach: No superstitions but I like to get away from the guys a bit, collect my thoughts, talk to God and read a little scripture. I think last Spring, that was something that I picked up a lot. It puts into perspective what you do on the field and what you really stand for.

Is there any one verse that is your “go to” that you carry out with you onto the field?

Zach: Isaiah 40:31. It basically says that those who trust in the Lord will not grow weary, will renew their strength, and will soar on wings like eagles. Going on the mound, if you really believe that, all your anxiety just becomes so trivial. It’s like, “If I truly believe this, nothing is going to stand in my way.”

That’s awesome. Do you have any signature moments so far from your time with the team?

Zach: I’ll go with this Fall season. I had a good start, and after a few outings, I was probably floating a little too high. So naturally, I had a pretty humbling experience which has definitely turned into one of the best experiences so far. Chris Cruz hit a homerun. Belt-high fastball. It cleared the bases. I kind of sulked on that one for a few days, but that one really helped bring me down a bit. It reminded me to keep a level head and always to work hard. Welcome to the Ivy League, courtesy of Chris Cruz

You’re definitely not the first-

Zach: That’s what I’ve heard (laughing).

As we wrap up, what is your bottom line, number one reason for playing baseball here at Cornell?

Zach: I’m convinced that the reason I’m here is to use baseball as a pedestal for what I believe. I think if I wasn’t using this game to do that, to share my faith, than I’d be wasting my time. It’s obviously a privilege to be playing baseball at this level, but the bottom line, when it all comes down to it, I’m playing baseball to glorify God, and that’s not just to be cliché, but it’s what it comes down to.

And one final question, a real tough one. What’s one thing people don’t know about you?

Zach: I thought of this question earlier, and I’ve actually got a few. This first one needs to be taken seriously. I was 3rd grade spelling bee champion. There was a little discrepancy with how the word ‘which’ is spelled. Witch or which? I actually got a silver medal for that little performance, but the teacher never specified which spelling one was right. Not many people know that, but I WAS that 3rd grade spelling bee champion.

You just want to set the record straight?

Zach: Yeah, that needs to be out there (chuckles). Also, something else people need to know, and hopefully are getting to know is that I’m a Christian and I believe in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ dying and rising from the dead for me. I think hopefully that becomes better known as time goes on. And I’ve got one more thing as well. You know Trent Richardson, right?

Of course.

Zach: Trent Richardson, who now is the running back for the Cleveland Browns, who went to ‘Bama and did work there is from Pensacola, my hometown. In the fall of 2009, he was playing against Tate High School, home of the Mighty Fighting Aggies. Trent goes up for a fast break dunk, and gets it thrown not two rows deep, but at least three or four. Just double-handed block, into the stands. Trent Richardson, world-class athlete, swatted.

Wait, you blocked him?

Zach: Oh did I. This thing was sent. I packaged it up, wrapped it and sent it on its way.

Did you let out any guttural sounds as you landed on the court?

Zach: Oh yeah, I let out a few screams, ripped my jersey a little bit, and I think I started waving my finger at him.


And he didn’t take exception to that?

Zach: (Laughing) Nah, well he’s obviously a lot stronger than I am, but I think after that swat, he got the picture, you know, who his daddy was. In other words, I am Trent Richardson’s daddy. That’s what people need to know about me.

And on that note, let’s call it a day. Thanks so much, Zach, for sharing with us. We wish you best of luck this season and hopefully a lot of opposing teams meet “their daddy” with you on the mound this Spring.

Zach: My pleasure.

For more information on Cornell At Bat or if you want to get involved, contact Alex Gimenez email at ajg322@cornell.edu. For previous Cornell At Bat adventures, look here, here, here, here, and here.  

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From the Booth: A Cornell At Bat Blog Series

This is the first post in a six post series featuring the Cornell At Bat broadcasting team. These posts will appear throughout the Fall semester. For previous Cornell At Bat adventures, look here, here, here, here, and here.  

The 2012 season brought about many changes for the Big Red baseball team. Among those changes were their on field success taking them to their first NCAA Regional since 1977 and the foundation of a broadcasting program, Cornell At Bat, that brought them much deserved coverage.

In its inaugural season, Cornell At Bat and a very dedicated broadcast team brought nine regular season home games and five playoff games to the airwaves through Slope Media’s radio department at Cornell.  We were able to learn the ins and outs of covering a college baseball team and were on air for some of the team’s biggest moments in the history of the program. 

From Connor Kaufmann’s no hitter against Dartmouth to the Big Red’s Ivy League Championship Series over Dartmouth on Chris Cruz’s 11^thinning walk off home run, we were able to show fans just how good this team was.  After getting a taste of the experience last season, we have dedicated ourselves to bringing about much more coverage for the team immediately and for years to come.

This season, we have added new members to our broadcast team and at this time, have a very solid nine person team that includes Jesse Sherman, Adam Kirsch, Gabe Cassillo, Eddie McNelis, Kenny Kirschenbaum and myself from the class of 2015, and Cassandra Vilmenay, Alex Garcia, and Chad Edelblum from the class of 2016.  We have laid out a 24 game broadcast schedule including away games for the first time.  We have been given unprecedented access to the clubhouse by the coaching staff and armed with new top of the industry equipment, and we hope to bring about coverage that no Ivy League sports team has ever seen.

Our coverage includes expanding our following through social media, writing newspaper stories on the team for local Cornell publications, providing a weekly radio show dedicated to the team (with players and coaches joining us on the show), broadcasting games with video or on AM/FM radio stations in Ithaca, and using our own blog to give in depth analysis of the team and the players. 

With this blog post I am introducing a series that will be featured right here on the ILR Sports Business Society’s blog.  These posts will be written by some of our staff members, and we hope that they will help you understand what we do while getting more information on the team out there to you.  We tried to lay out topics that fit in well with the ILRSBS goals. I hope you enjoy them.  Stay tuned for our next post on how the Big Red will look to fill the roles left by last year’s seniors. 

For more information on Cornell At Bat or if you want to get involved, shoot Alex an email at ajg322@cornell.edu. 

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Sherman's Road to the Regional: Part 3

This is part three of a three-part series following one of the lead broadcasters for Cornell Big Red baseball. Make sure to read Part One HERE and Part Two HERE.

Saturday brought a new day and perhaps even more anticipation than Friday’s game did, as we knew that one more loss would send the Big Red packing. But the opening games gave us good reason to be confident going into the elimination game against ECU. Cornell had brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth against Michael Morin and the UNC Tar Heels while ECU had struggled against the St. John’s Red Storm in their Friday afternoon contest, falling 11-3. We also had freshman starter Brian McAfee on the hill for the Saturday game. McAfee is no stranger to pitching well in elimination games; he started and threw 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits the final game of the regular season. The Big Red went on to defeat Princeton 4-3 in 12 innings to win the Lou Gehrig division and clinch a spot in the Ivy League Championship series. And just less than a month prior to the NCAA regional, McAfee started the third and decisive game of the aforementioned Ivy League Championship Series against Dartmouth at Hoy Field, allowing only one run on four hits over six strong innings in the 3-1 victory that took 11 innings. However, we had the feeling that a lot of hitting was in store for us on Saturday, as the Big Red offense seemed to be firing on all cylinders, while the Pirates managed to knock 11 hits in their Game 1 loss. Our expectations for Saturday’s contest came to fruition.


After McAfee and ECU Senior starter Kevin Brandt each threw two shutout innings to start the game, ECU struck first. Designated hitter Drew Reynolds belted a solo home run to deep right field to give his team a 1-0 lead in the third. Then, ECU shortstop singled to left field to extend the lead to 2-0 in the 4th inning.

Making an early comeback certainly did not present a threat the Big Red, as they proved in the bottom half of the 4th inning. Brian Billigen led off the inning with a lead off single, Chris Cruz was hit by a pitch, and Frank Hager reached on an error to load the bases with no one out. There was no hitter on the team that you would want up in this situation than senior catcher Brandon Lee. He was 4 for 6 in the regional prior to his 4th inning at bat and there was no doubt that he was looking to do some damage.

He did not wait very long.

On the first pitch of the at-bat, Lee roped a single into center field to move everyone up a base and give his club the first run of the game and cut the score to 2-1. Tom D’Alessandro and Ben Swinford followed suit with RBI singles of their own, and Marshall Yanzick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Big Red had a 4-2 lead after 4 innings of play, and we thought that giving Brian McAfee a lead was exactly what we needed. Unfortunately, the game seemed to take a turn for the worse after the 4th inning rally.

ECU struck back with five runs of their own after batting around in the order. McAfee hit a batter and allowed a base hit. In addition, first baseman Frank Hager couldn’t handle a throw at first base that cost the team a run, and McAfee couldn’t seem to put hitters away in two-strike counts. When it was all said and done, McAfee had been knocked out of the game after 4.2 innings pitched, allowing six runs (three earned) on eight hits. Was there another comeback in store for the resilient Cornell Big Red baseball team?

We certainly thought there was a chance in the 5th, as the ECU lead was cut to 7-6 after another RBI hit by Brandon Lee and a bases loaded hit by pitch for Ben Swinford. But perhaps the biggest blow came in the two-out bases loaded situation for the Big Red. In a 1-2 count to Marshall Yanzick, ECU Tyler Joyner seemed to drop his hand out of his glove while standing on the pitcher’s rubber, a movement that would normally result in a balk that would have advanced all of the runners and tied the game at 7-7. However, none of the umpires recognized the illegal movement and the runners stayed put. On the very next pitch, Yanzick struck out swinging to end the inning in frustrating fashion. ECU never looked back. The Pirates added three more runs in the seventh and secured a lead that they would not relinquish. The Big Red, who were so accustomed to making comebacks in do-or-die situations, were not able to recover and ultimately lost the slugfest by a final score of 10-6.

When the final out was recorded on a Kevin Tatum ground ball to the shortstop, it was a very surreal moment for us in the broadcast booth and certainly for the players and coaches down on the field. The storied season had come to an end in fitting fashion, as the tying run was in the on-deck circle before the final out was made. It was time for everyone to reflect on how successful the season really was; Cornell baseball made a name for itself on a national level with its competitive play against two tough teams in UNC and ECU, and the road to the regional presented many moments in which the team had to overcome adversity.

As the entire team congregated in shallow left field, it was evident to Alex and me that Coach Walkenbach could not be doing anything but congratulating his team for their performance over the weekend and throughout the entire season, as their efforts this season had made their families, the student body, and the Cornell community nothing but proud. It was a tough postgame wrap up for us, as we were certainly ready to continuing watching our team and calling their games at the beautiful facilities at Boshamer Stadium in North Carolina.

Cornell At-Bat wrapped up its inaugural season by recapping the elimination game, looking at the positives that the team should take into next season, and most importantly, thanking everyone who made our trip to UNC possible in the first place. We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the baseball coaching staff and the players for being so welcoming to us and allowing us to join their incredible journey to the NCAA regional. The staff of Cornell’s Athletic Communications team allowed us to create and record the broadcasts and worked to make our travel plans as convenient as possible, and our experience would not have been the same without them. We also have to thank Rich Booth, whose support and enthusiasm for Cornell athletics was the reason that everyone was able to have such a memorable weekend at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Cornell At-Bat is just getting started, and we’re looking forward to continuing our coverage of Big Red baseball. Thanks to our listeners and supporters, and we hope you continue following us for years to come.