For players who are hungry to get back on the field, the inaugural season for the Mississippi State University Club Baseball team looks to jump-start something special. 
This year, MSU is introducing a club baseball team for individuals who want to take part in baseball for the love of the game. The team aims to keep fun and passion for the game its main purpose.
President, co-founder and player Scotty Bateman, said he thought about starting a club baseball team during, oddly enough, a club hockey game.
He said he initially thought it was going to be too hard to start until a friend, co-founder and playerParker Glass, asked Bateman if he ever thought about starting the team.
Glass’ desire to start a club team made Bateman believe the dream could be a reality.
“Once we actually looked into it, the hardest part has been money,” Bateman said. “We’ve been good with that. We just charge some little dues and got some sponsorships from different places.”
The club found sponsorship in the National Club Baseball Association (NCBA) and Bateman and Glass went on a summer-long recruiting mission to find players.
Now, Bateman said, “It’s going to be a good year.”
Two players who will be apart of the team are left-handed pitcher Coleman Glider and baseman Jack Bishop. Gilder came to MSU as junior from Meridian Community College and said he enjoys the team’s style of play.
“What stands out to me is that we are going to be nit and grit, stealing bags, laying bunts, you know,” Gilder said. “Playing dirty, but not playing dirty as in playing bad. We are going to be a good, nitty-gritty, speed team.”
Both players expressed similar goals for the team this season, and for themselves. They said they hope to become better players and aim to contribute to the success of the team as much as they can.
Jack Bishop, a freshman, said he joined the team to enjoy the fun of baseball.
“I want to play baseball, the game I love, with a bunch of guys that love the same game I do,” Bishop said.
Gilder, Bishop and Bateman have high hopes for the team’s season and its future. All three players said they see the team excelling as the season progresses and eventually hope to lead the team to the playoffs.
Bishop said his ultimate goal for the team is to make it to the Club Baseball World Series.
Beginning on Oct. 15, this courageous, pure-grit band of ballplayers will take the field for the first time in NCBA play against the University of Alabama’s club baseball team.
The game will be held at Stillman College baseball field in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at 1:00 p.m.