Canceled Event: Baseball at Oregon
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at Oregon
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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Alumni return to GCU Ballpark
2/9/2019 2:31:00 PM | Baseball
Annual alumni game rings in new season
Baseball alumni returned to Grand Canyon University with former players dating from 1953 to 2018 coming back to Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark to welcome a new season for the Lopes.
The annual alumni game is a special moment for players old and new as they reconnect once a year to share and create new memories, each with their own story from their time with the GCU baseball program.
For head coach Andy Stankiewicz it is a perfect way to begin a new season with a well-deserved break from preseason workouts and drills. The game allowed current players to compete alongside former Lopes who helped shape the program from the NAIA level to three WAC regular season titles in the last four seasons.
"Today is always fun to see guys come back," Stankiewicz said. "Today is their day to rekindle to bring guys back and bring those memories back again. At the same time though, it's good for us because today we treated it like a gameday. We took batting practice and infield and outfield drills. We know we are getting close, so we are revving up the gameday mode. It's a good dress rehearsal in that regard but again it's good to get the guys over here and get them back together for a day. The team tries to make it more about the alumni more than anything ese."
Former GCU catcher Jon Hamel helps coordinate this event and every year it is a special day for him.
"It's just always good to get the guys back together," said Hamel who played at GCU from 1996 to 1999. "We get to show them we appreciate them as a player being able to come back and enjoy being part of the alumni team and this event."
2018 alumni Jake Repavich pitched an inning while former teammates playing at the next level such as Jake Wong and Mick Vorhof watched from the stands. Ian Evans and Griffin Barnes also joined the alumni team and each recorded a hit.
Former infielder Paul Panaccione who joined the coaching staff this year as a volunteer assistant put on the same No. 3 jersey he wore for the Lopes from 2013-16.
"It is a fun day. Obviously these guys have a big season ahead of them, but it's cool that we get a day for the guys that helped build the program," Panaccione said. "It's a cool situation for me being on the staff. I've played with some of these guys, so I have a good relationship with them. I think I can bring a lot of stuff to them, I have fun with them but at the same time they trust and listen me. It's a big year coming up with high expectations."
The Lopes will begin the new season on Friday, Feb. 15 against Wichita State in the grand re-opening of GCU Ballpark. The Shockers are coming off a 35-win season, the first time since reaching the 30-win mark since 2014.
"We're excited, we'll have a good week of practice here," Stankiewicz added. "The time has come, it will be a great tournament, a great weekend, very competitive. It will be a great challenge right out of the gate and that's what it's about. We want to try to create a competitive environment as early as we can to help us become better as we begin the season."
First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the game will be televised on Fox Sports Arizona.
The annual alumni game is a special moment for players old and new as they reconnect once a year to share and create new memories, each with their own story from their time with the GCU baseball program.
For head coach Andy Stankiewicz it is a perfect way to begin a new season with a well-deserved break from preseason workouts and drills. The game allowed current players to compete alongside former Lopes who helped shape the program from the NAIA level to three WAC regular season titles in the last four seasons.
"Today is always fun to see guys come back," Stankiewicz said. "Today is their day to rekindle to bring guys back and bring those memories back again. At the same time though, it's good for us because today we treated it like a gameday. We took batting practice and infield and outfield drills. We know we are getting close, so we are revving up the gameday mode. It's a good dress rehearsal in that regard but again it's good to get the guys over here and get them back together for a day. The team tries to make it more about the alumni more than anything ese."
Former GCU catcher Jon Hamel helps coordinate this event and every year it is a special day for him.
"It's just always good to get the guys back together," said Hamel who played at GCU from 1996 to 1999. "We get to show them we appreciate them as a player being able to come back and enjoy being part of the alumni team and this event."
2018 alumni Jake Repavich pitched an inning while former teammates playing at the next level such as Jake Wong and Mick Vorhof watched from the stands. Ian Evans and Griffin Barnes also joined the alumni team and each recorded a hit.
Former infielder Paul Panaccione who joined the coaching staff this year as a volunteer assistant put on the same No. 3 jersey he wore for the Lopes from 2013-16.
"It is a fun day. Obviously these guys have a big season ahead of them, but it's cool that we get a day for the guys that helped build the program," Panaccione said. "It's a cool situation for me being on the staff. I've played with some of these guys, so I have a good relationship with them. I think I can bring a lot of stuff to them, I have fun with them but at the same time they trust and listen me. It's a big year coming up with high expectations."
The Lopes will begin the new season on Friday, Feb. 15 against Wichita State in the grand re-opening of GCU Ballpark. The Shockers are coming off a 35-win season, the first time since reaching the 30-win mark since 2014.
"We're excited, we'll have a good week of practice here," Stankiewicz added. "The time has come, it will be a great tournament, a great weekend, very competitive. It will be a great challenge right out of the gate and that's what it's about. We want to try to create a competitive environment as early as we can to help us become better as we begin the season."
First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the game will be televised on Fox Sports Arizona.
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