by despotmj | Jul 13, 2011 | Sports
Amid the sweltering summer heat, Lipscomb’s campus is buzzing with freshman in attendance for advance, construction workers renovating Fanning and students trying to squeeze in a few hours towards graduation. With so much happening on campus, one cannot forget that Lipscomb University’s Dugan Field has a new tenant this summer, although they’re not wearing purple and gold. The tenant is the Nashville Outlaws, a baseball team which is playing all of their home games this summer on Lipscomb’s campus. The Outlaws are a member of the western division of the Prospect League, a 14 team, two-division league, which offers college players the opportunity to play summer baseball while transitioning from aluminum to wooden bats. The Outlaws previously played their home games at Vanderbilt, but moved to Lipscomb University this summer. When asked why the team decided to begin playing their three month season at Lipscomb, general manager Luke Collier said Lipscomb offered the team a much better location than what they had at Vanderbilt. “The team likes Lipscomb. People are friendly and help out,” said Collier. “Game turnouts have been around 100 people.” The turnout is much-appreciated by the Outlaws players and front office, as the team plays a rigorous 56-game summer season. The Nashville fans are certainly having an impact on the team, and as of July 11, the Outlaws are in second place in the western division, three and a half games behind the Quincy Gems. Many well-known Major League Baseball players have spent time in the Prospect League including Mike Schmidt, Kirby Puckett, Ryan Howard, Jonathan Papelbon and Joe Girardi. Two familiar faces from Nashville are...
by Hunter Patterson | Jun 24, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
Last month it was announced that Belmont would be the leaving the A-Sun and becoming 12th member of the Ohio Valley Conference. While it was announced on the 13th of May, Belmont will not officially join the OVC until July 1, 2012. Belmont president Robert Fisher was intentional in explaining that the move was a strategic one that was made for the student-athletes and the budget of the university. Belmont will have to pay $200,000 to leave the Atlantic Sun Conference, however, the school’s travel costs will drop immensely. “You don’t have to get on a plane to go anywhere,” Dr. Fisher said. “And the students won’t have to miss as many classes.” Missing classes is something that Belmont and Lipscomb have dealt with in the past because of the long travels the two schools make to Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. This bodes even worse for Lipscomb now, since their travel partner will no longer be making the trips. Usually, Lipscomb and Belmont would share a plane when traveling to Florida to play teams like North Florida and Jacksonville. Now, Belmont’s longest road trip will be a six hour bus ride to Edwardsville, Ill. to play Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. All of Belmont’s current teams – other than men’s soccer – will be recognized by the OVC in 2012. And despite reports, Belmont does not plan to add football anytime soon. With the addition of the Bruins, the OVC now has five teams in Tennessee: Austin Peay State, the University of Tennessee at Martin, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State and now, Belmont. Think of it this way; TSU...
by Vanessa Medina | Mar 29, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb’s softball team didn’t take a spring break mission trip, but tried to make a difference in another fashion. The team decided to try to raise $6,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the organization that makes dreams come true for terminally ill children. The idea came from sophomore Lacy Walker, native of Hendersonville, Tenn., who first brought it to the team’s attention in the goals meeting at the beginning of the semester. “We got involved [with Make-A-Wish] with my church group, and since we don’t have a lot of free time I thought this would be something we could do throughout the semester,” Walker said. How will the team raise money, in between road games, morning games, classes and tests? Softball players split up into eight pairs of fundraisers. Each pairing is responsible for planning and coordinating two events during the semester. To help out there will be donation buckets around campus, at chapel and at the concession stands during the baseball and softball games. The team will also host bake sales at many of the softball games. “I think it would be great if we can raise it all before the end of our season,” said Mollie Mitchell, junior and team captain from Suwanee, Ga. “However if we don’t, it doesn’t mean we are going to stop. We would all like to fulfill someone’s dream as soon as possible and we know that all means giving our best effort.” This season features a lot of home games the team are hopes the crowds will want to help a child in need. (Writer Vanessa Medina is a member of the softball team at Lipscomb and is participating in this fundraising...
by Cooper Torrez | Mar 24, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
An hour and a half rain delay hindered the Bisons and Vols’ start time, but fans didn’t shy away. The Vols came into the game 16-4 while the Bisons were 7-13. Chris Nunn got the call for the Bisons and had a solid first inning. However, in the top of the second Tyler Horne got the Vols rolling with a two-run homerun deep over the left center field wall. The Bisons stormed back in the bottom of the second and the third. Josh Chism singled to right field followed by a Tennyson Dodd double. Logan Hostettler’s sacrifice fly scored Chism to bring the score to 2-1 Vols. In the bottom of the third M.L. Williams’ grounder scored T.J. Hoelzer to tie it up 2-2. The Vols got the bats rolling and in a three-inning stretch never looked back. In the top of the fifth a double by Ethan Bennett scored Matt Duffy to put the Vols up 3-2. A Davis Morgan single then scored Bennett to make the score 4-2. Khayyan Norfork then scored Morgan to extend the Vols lead to 5-2. In the top of the sixth Josh Liles then extended the Vols lead to 6-2 when he doubled and brought home Duffy. Morgan continued his good play and singled in the top of the seventh and was sent home by Norfolk two batters later to put the Vols up 7-2. The Bisons threatened but could not capitalize. The Bisons scored the game’s last run in the bottom of the seventh when Hostettler scored Dodd to bring the Bisons within four runs. However, the Vols pitcher Matt Ramsey...
by Vanessa Medina | Mar 15, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
If you drive out to a Little League Ballpark and ask any little kid what they want to be when they grow up, most will answer “a professional baseball player.” Caleb Joseph, who was one of those kids before his time at Lipscomb, is living that dream, aiming for a roster spot with the Baltimore Orioles when spring training breaks. The former Bison star got the call to join the big league team in Florida when the Orioles opened camp this winter. Joseph is one of seven catchers in the rotation, meaning he will catch about every three games until the dust settles and the roster is filled. This will give him the opportunity to wear the official Baltimore Orioles jersey. He comes by his baseball love naturally. Mom and Dad both graduated from Lipscomb and were involved with athletics. His dad, Mark, played baseball for the Bisons during the NAIA days. Caleb’s sister, Carly, currently cheers at Lipscomb. Caleb’s younger brother, Corban, is also in the minor leagues and is working out with the New York Yankees. The young Joseph has been working with the major league stars after being called upon twice in the past week to play alongside Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira. He also gets to learn from one of the best second basemen in the league, Robinson Cano. Corban was drafted out of Franklin High School and bypassed college ball to try his hand in the majors. While the Joseph brothers are both in the minor league stages, they work out together and push each other. Caleb finally got to see Corban in action on the field last summer. “It’s...
