Emotional day at Baseball Media Day

By Caleb-Ryan Davis

On Wednesday, the Texas State Athletic department hosted Texas State Baseball’s media day in the end zone complex at Bobcat Stadium. Among the members of the media who wielded cameras and notepads were the players who carry bats and gloves which both parties protect and revere with significance. Beyond all of that was a coach who has carried inspiration and a love for Baseball on each of his ¾ length sleeves throughout his entire career. Ty Harrington, while he wasn’t looking for the spotlight on Wednesday afternoon, found out that whether he wants it or not, the spotlight is going to find him.

Just a number of months since discovering the cancer, head coach Ty Harrington was standing for the first time back in front of the microphone and in front of the media. As he walked in, with a brown sports-coat and a checkered shirt he firmly shook hands and looked everyone in the eye as he thanked each and every member of the team and of the media for being there to start the baseball season off. Throughout the press conference there were questions of the upcoming season and how the players were looking up to this point of the winter and he answered those questions with the same zeal and fire that he has always brought to the game. He mentioned that he was “anxious to get back to the field with these guys…we don’t know how it’s going to turn out and that’s exciting for me.”

However, quickly the conference approached the juncture that everyone in the room knew was going to materialize. Harrington stated that since he’s been faced with his burden he’s lucky to have had the friends, coaches, and players to take that burden off of his shoulders. He noted that he plans on coaching the Bobcats every day of the season and that he’s going to do the best he can to make that happen.

While there was a lot of emotion throughout the press conference coach Harrington found his way to some humor when he was asked about the arrival of the numerous incoming freshmen by joking “I just shook hands and met half of them for the first time.” Overall, coach Harrington is looking forward to the season and is excited to return to the field on February 13^th as they open up the 2015 campaign against UC Davis in San Marcos.

Speaking to Granger Studdard on the upcoming season he stated “we had a rough season last year…this season I hope we can win some Tuesday night games and maybe make it to the postseason.” While he is just a sophomore, Studdard has had plenty of experience in helping the team win. When he was asked about his resume of late inning heroics he explained that he “wishes he could experience that all the time” but that he is excited to step into the “older guy shoes” and become a leader to the team.

To close out the review of Wednesday’s media day I’ll leave something with you that coach Ty Harrington left with us. Midway through his conference, with a sense of confidence in his face and determination in his eyes, the most winning coach in Texas State History stated, “College Baseball doesn’t stop. Life doesn’t stop.” Thankfully, Ty Harrington is right.