Baseball: Kyle Wooden

Ben Anderson #14

    What's good??  More importantly, what happened to Spring?  It seemed like a few days ago I was wearing shorts and my boat shoes and now I'm sporting the Guilford Baseball hoodie, and I'm still cold when I go outside!  Thankfully it is supposed to warm up a little bit tomorrow (high of 57 degrees) for the game against Greensboro.  We beat Greensboro College in a thriller earlier in the year, but since then they have went on a tear and it should be another classic battle.  Adding even more flavor, the game is being played at NewBridge Bank Park aka Grasshopper Stadium.  I'm getting hyped just thinking about it and ready to get this W so we can get some more momentum going into another big ODAC weekend at home against Virginia Wesleyan.  Tomorrow's game starts at 6:00pm and I encourage everyone and anyone to come because if nothing else it is a good chance to yell across the field at some Greensboro College kids. 

Ben Anderson #14

From: Kernersville, North Carolina

Position: Infield

Nicknames: Andy, Benny, Mohammad, Nappy

 

More About Ben

    I'm not going to lie, after the first couple months of school, I was still on the fence about Ben.  I wasn't quite sure what to think of the dude.  He was so laid back on the field and off the field, I wasn't even sure if I could take him seriously.  That all changed when I realized how hard of a worker he was.  I would guess that he has put on at least 15 lbs of pure muscle since he has been at school and he hasn't disappointed on the field either.  During a developmental game earlier this year, Ben was tracking down a foul ball and literally smashed his entire face on the fence.  Honestly, I have no idea how hurt he was or what was broken because he doesn't ever talk about it and didn't let the pain get to him at all.  In fact, he plugged his nose up with tissue and kept playing.  Ben definitely comes off as a goofball and always has me cracking up at his brutally honest comments and gestures, he is also a great ballplayer who has a bright future. 

Peace and Love,

Wood

Gabe Mirabelli #13

Position: Catcher

From: Massachusetts

Nicknames: Belli, Smelly, Bellz, and really anything else as long as a thick, Boston-like accent is used

 

More About Belli

    In many cases, Freshman on our team still are kind of uneasy about a lot of things.  For instance, sometimes Freshman are nervous about meeting the other guys on the team and it takes them a while to break out of their shells.  Belli's case is much different.  Belli became well - known and well-appreciated throughout the team because of his intense work ethic and dedication.  He is a super cool dude who is all about the team and doing whatever he can to make himself and us better.  I don't even think he realizes how much better he has gotten in such a short amount of time.  If he keeps working at this rate, which I know he will, he will be a large asset to the program for years to come. 

  On a side note, Belli has the largest and most decorative shoe collection known to man.  He should consider himself lucky that he does not wear as size 15 because I would be "borrowing" his kicks alllll the time.  Then again, everyone should probably consider themselves lucky (besides P, who wears a 16) for not having Mammo-Feet because clumsiness always comes with them.  Alright, well that sums up my boy Belli.  If you want to meet him, just go to the Maynard Center at any time of the day, he will probably be there.

 

 

 

Peace and Love,

Wood

Back Like I Never Left

    What up?!  With the recent launch of the new Guilford Athletics website, my blog somehow got lost in the shuffle.  Yesterday the new webpage designed a page just for the student-athlete blogs and I am fortunate that they kept me around.  The baseball season so far has been one of my more memorable ones.  Never have I been on a team that has had as much chemistry as the 2011 Quakers.  After a rocky start, we have started playing with more confidence and determination, and as a result wins have started to pile up. 

    As of today, we are 4-4 in conference.  At the beginning of the season, one of our major goals was to finish in the top 6 in conference so we could have a chance to play for the ODAC title in Lynchburg in the middle of April.  As of now, we are tied for 6th place and coming off a huge win last night at Roanoke, we feel better than ever.  This weekend we travel to Eastern Mennonite in hopes of a sweep that would move us up the ODAC hierarchy.  Although we will be missing the biggest event at Guilford (Serendipity), we know what we signed up for.  We all love the game of baseball and would not have it any other way.  Plus, I'm sure our coaches are not too upset that we are missing Serendipity and the festivities that go along with it because they are in constant fear that we will get "Serendipped"......whatever that means. 

    Within the next few days I'll start back up the player profiles featuring my teammates.  Be easy!

 

 

Wood