Big Bend Baseball Looks to Continue 2022 Momentum
The Big Bend Community College Vikings baseball team are poised to begin the 2023 season, entering it with high expectations. Under the leadership of second-year head coach and BBCC alum Chase Tunstall, the Vikings look to continue the momentum built at the end of last season. "Last season was incredible, especially for a first-year coach," stated Tunstall. "We were fortunate to have very talented players that made a commitment to each other at the start of the year and carried that through the end of the season. Being able to host a regional game for the first time in 20 years and to set a school record for conference wins was something very special and made last year very memorable."
As is the case with baseball at the community college level, the Vikings will lose their fair share of talent, as Brandham Ponce (Washington State University), Austin Bunn (Northern Colorado University), Dylan Gardner (Arizona State University), Gabe Passey (Southern New Hampshire University), Michael Demand (University of Jamestown), and Connor Cook (Dakota State University) move on to the four-year level. However, these significant losses have more that motivated the current team to achieve new heights. "Falling a game short of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) Championship Tournament has given the returners a little extra drive to reach the tournament this year and has motivated them to establish a foundation to make that a yearly occurrence for the players following in their footsteps," Tunstall said.
With this mindset in hand, the upcoming season promises to be one of the best on record. Tunstall expounded upon this by saying, "We are returning six of our nine position players as well as two starting pitchers. We are also fortunate to have pieces of our bullpen back from last year as well. With that being said, we are also very excited about some impact freshmen that are going to see a lot of action this year. Although we must replace two All-Americans in the lineup, we are very comfortable and excited about the guys we have brought in and returners that will rise to the occasion and produce…night in and night out." Some of the most notable returners include Dalton Miller, a 2022 1st-Team All-East Region Infielder, who won Eastern Region Gold Glove at shortstop and is a 2023 NWAC Pre-Season All-American (www.baseballnews.com); Timothy Williams, a 2022 1st-Team All-East Region Starting Pitcher, as well as a 2023 NWAC Pre-Season All-American (www.baseballnews.com); and Parker Plato, a 2022 1st-Team All-East Region Designated Hitter and a 2022 2nd Team All-NWAC Designated Hitter.
As in recent years, the Vikings' overall strength is shaping up to be their offense once again. "The nice part about this year, though, is that we will have a lot more depth in the bullpen portion of our team, which can play out to be a great strength for us," added Tunstall. The identity of Big Bend baseball has always been a team made up of players who play the game "red-faced and sweaty. No one will out-work us or out-effort us. We will go about the game in a professional way, playing as 'Ferocious Gentlemen,' out of respect for the game and those that have played as Vikings before us," expressed Tunstall. Based on early assessments, the largest area of improvement needed from last year's team to this year's team is the bullpen. However, the Vikings have brought in a loaded freshman class that hopes to solidify the bullpen alongside a solid returning arsenal.
Once again, the Eastern Region will bring with it some of the fiercest competition in the NWAC. Spokane Falls Community College is the Vikings' opening weekend opponent and has been tops in the region in recent memory. However, because of the competitive top-to-bottom nature of the Eastern Region, any team can win on any given day. The Eastern Region will send four very competitive teams to the NWAC Championships each year, all of which have an opportunity to make a run at the title. Additionally, the Vikings look to have a third straight Eastern Region MVP. The Vikings have won the award in back-to-back years, with Austin Bunn (2021) and Brandham Ponce (2022) winning the award in the previous two seasons.
Tunstall concluded by saluting all who support the Vikings in their pursuits, on and off the field. "We would like to thank every professor, administrator, fan, and especially our families. Without the support of these individuals, this program would not be in the place it is today. We look forward to another great year of winning…on and off the field. Go Vikes!"