Baseball's Fall Ball a Time of Rebirth for Scots
Monmouth, IL (11/16/2020) — With the 2020 spring baseball season shortened to just 10 games, Monmouth College coach Alan Betourne knew his squad was ready to begin the fall ball season.
"Everyone was really upbeat and excited," reported Betourne of the first practice back in September. "They were ready to get back on the field as a team, although at the start we kept it to small groups in accordance to the COVID guidelines. By the end of the fall, we were able to field a full team and have our traditional end-of-the-season tournament."
The Fighting Scots had posted a 6-4 record through their 10 games in Florida last March when the pandemic hit, leaving the coaches and players wondering what might have been. Betourne and his staff are looking at the upcoming year as a continuation of growth from the spring season - a rebirth of sorts.
"Looking at last spring, on the positive side, we were able to get 10 games in," said Betourne. "That was more than some other teams. This year was a different type of fall ball, but a very good evaluation period for all of us. It was a chance to get back on the field and continue what we started six months ago."
The Scots hadn't been apart on the diamond for six months straight since the Midwest Conference began allowing fall practices more than a decade ago.
"We really wanted to see how last year's freshmen had developed," said Betourne. "Some of them played very well in Florida and we were anxious to see how that carried into this fall. What, if anything, were they able to get done in the summer? Some of them got bigger and stronger. Some came back leaner and more fit. I think the biggest thing was to see last year's freshmen as sophomores. Fall, regardless of the year, is all about evaluation and then finding our team identity."
It's almost a rebirth for four of last year's seniors, back after taking advantage of the NCAA's fifth-year COVID eligibility offer. Slugging first baseman Mike Dato, pitcher Arturo Monroy and catchers Jake Brewer and Shamus Murphy will be back in the fold for one final season, but it's junior catcher Anthony Ruggles who serves as Betourne's example of what this season means.
"We had a lot of good performances, but Anthony sticks out for all the right reasons," said Betourne after Ruggles missed all of last spring rehabbing from surgery. "He's a guy that was really excited to get back on the diamond. He looked good with his bat and his arm strength was good. His mentality is good. He's excited and motivated. The rest of the team is feeding off of that."
Betourne's team returns half the starting infield and two-thirds of the outfield. That's in addition to a pitching staff that showed just how good they might be when half the staff posted a 0.00 ERA through last spring's 10 contests.
"All the returners are looking at ways to build on their roles from last year," reported Betourne. "We're not a one-man team by any means. All the guys are very close and as a group, we're much better. They complement each other's skills. Our overall value is greater than the sum of our individual parts. I think the guys understand that and that's cause for a lot of excitement."
Betourne's Fall Ball World Series also generated excitement, as well as the same outcome, as Scots Red won their sixth straight title.
"We call it the 'Austin Hardy Curse,'" joked Betourne, referencing the Scots' Black team's inaugural captain from his first year at the helm. "You'd think it would be about 50-50, but every year the Red Team figures out how to get the series win. Over the years, the Black team has been on the cusp of winning a pivotal game, but just can't quite get the W to turn the tide."
This year was no different, as the Red team posted a 4-1 series win. Scots' Black nearly changed the routine this fall, but once again the stars aligned for a Red win.
"Black was up 2-0 late in one of this fall's games," explained Betourne. "It was the last inning and Logan Komater came up with the bases loaded. He hit a bases-clearing triple and Red won 3-2. It's the curse."
Betourne did strike a serious tone when it came to how the pandemic has impacted his team.
"Regardless of who won, the Fall Ball World Series was the guys' reward for everything they've done this fall to keep us healthy during a pandemic," praised Betourne. "They've done everything we've asked of them to keep themselves, their classmates and the campus safe. Our guys took that to heart and it shows just how important the nontraditional season is. Fall ball was their motivation. Had they wavered, we would not have been able to navigate the fall season. They get all the credit. Now, we need to get them a spring season."
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