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There seems to be one
constant that runs through UWF Athletics. I call it
character. It goes a long way to explain why the various teams
are so successful. Character wins. It's just that
simple. I've been privileged to observe baseball, softball,
soccer, basketball and tennis teams at UWF. The best Sports
Information Office in Division II even allows me to include my camera
and limited skills. It's been a pleasure. UWF is at the top
of its game and I'm not just talking sports.
You know it's baseball
season. Temperatures have dipped to the
30s overnight. The local golf course has frost delays. Last
year at this time the threat of snow actually closed the campus.
Yea, it's baseball weather in America. Mike Jeffcoat has assembled
another outstanding team. They opened the season with scores of
15-2 and 13-3 over a good Montevallo team. They can't beat
everyone that way. What they will do is play sound fundamental
baseball. They'll play hard and with class. Teams take
after their coach.
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I will be adding links to future photographs at the end of this page.
| In
professional baseball,
where he once played in the Cardinals organization, his job is called
manager. Here he is the head coach and a good one. Mike
Jeffcoat has a wining percentage of ,585. Allow me to put that in
perspective. Casey Stengel (.508), Sparky Anderson (.545) and
Walter Alston (.558) are all in the Hall Of Fame. It's not easy
to win 58% of your games in baseball at any level. The GSC and
NCAA Division II are no exceptions. |
| A
former pitcher for UWF,
Mike Jeffcoat calls the pitches, defenses, sacrifice bunts and all
other strategies for the Argos. That requires scouting reports,
quick thinking and the help of good assistant coaches. In
baseball we have "The Book." That's the accumulated wisdom of the
right way to do things in every situation. You take a pitch when
the hurler is wild. Or do you? What if your hitter is hot and
feasts on waist high fastballs and the wild pitcher is 3-0? The
buck, and the book, stops with the head coach. The winners know when to
deviate from "The Book." |
| You also have to change
your signs. It's not just the nosy photographer who's
watching. Signs are a language all their own. |
DANIEL VARGAS-VILA
Daniel Vargas-Vila
Fastball?
Fastball?
Curve?
Change-up?
Fastball?
DUSTIN LAWLEY
This looks like a bad swing by Dustin Lawley. It's actually a good swing!
He's actually giving up a swing to protect a runner who's stealing second.
His swing kept the catcher from stepping up sooner for a faster throw. That's good baseball.
Dustin Lawley was 2 for 5 in this game. He's also a good centerfielder.
KENNY STALLS
Homerun swing!
He knows it's gone, they know it's gone, even I knew it was gone!
You play defense too, if you play for UWF.
BRANDON BREWER
Brandon Brewer was 3 for 3 in this game.
The shortest distance between two points...is a dive. Brewer stretches a single to a double.
Old school...you don't see many clean uniforms after a UWF game.
TAYE LARRY
Taye Larry...intensity and skill come together.
ZACH JADOFSKY
ERIC KROLL
ZACH TAYLOR
JUSTIN BENNETT
RANDAL SHEFFIELD
LEO LAMARCHE
Major League—he looked the ball into his glove before checking on the approaching runner.
JOSH HUGGINS
TYLER HASTINGS
Tyler Hastings blocks a ball in the dirt, keeping it in front for a play
GREG PRON
A smart veteran like Greg Pron knows you get the double as much between home and first as between first and second!
Greg Pron was 4 for 4 and made a diving catch in this game.
Photos from the 2-9-11 game vs Spring Hill can be found: HERE
Photos from the Flagler games can be found HERE
Photos from the Delta State games are HERE
Photos from the Florida Southern Games are HERE
Photos from the Mississippi Valley State sweep HERE
Photos from the Arkansas Tech games HERE
West Georgia series photos HERE
Lambuth Series 4-2-11 & 4-3-11 HERE
UWA SERIES 4-9-11 & 4-10-11 HERE
UWF VS MOBILE 4-12-11 HERE
FINAL HOME SERIES VS VALDOSTA HERE
ALL UWF ATHLETIC PROGRAMS
| Baseball is obviously my
favorite sport. Why not—it's really America's game and these
other sports are merely pretenders. I'm afraid I might not be
doing all the photography I'd like soon. I hope fans and players
enjoy what I'll be able to do. Copyright © 2011 Bill Stockland All Rights Reserved Email Bill Stockland billstockland@cox.net |