Club baseball holds tryouts

Just as Major League Baseball is getting into the heat of their playoff race, the University of Montana’s club baseball team is taking advantage of the last warm days of the season to fill up their roster.
The baseball team is holding their second round of tryouts this weekend at the Missoula Maverick Legion Field in hopes of filling over a dozen spots on their squad.
The first round of tryouts was held last weekend. Senior pitcher Buddy Holcombe said about 20 new hopefuls showed up to play.
The team features over 10 returning players and is looking to carry as many as 20 on their roster, he said.
Friday was strictly defensive drills, including a timed 50-yard dash, outfield and infield drills and situations. On Sunday, players had batting practice, both in the batting cages and live on the field. 

Senior pitcher Derek Hubbard said there were a lot of good players.
One of the goals of these tryouts is to strengthen pitching, Hubbard said.
“We’ve struggled in the last two years with pitching,” he said. “You can’t ever have too many pitchers.”
Hubbard said a lot of good outfielders came out for the first tryouts.
“There are a lot of tough decisions to make out there,” said Hubbard, who has played the last two years.
No games will be played until next semester. However, the team will hold practices and use the time to get organized and hold fundraisers.
UM only covers the initial National Club Baseball Association cost, Holcombe said. Players are responsible for all other expenses, including travel. 
The team doesn’t have a coach because they aren’t able to pay one. Hubbard, along with senior catcher Mick Ormiston, is taking the reins of the team this fall.
The team will open play in the spring by traveling to a tournament in Las Vegas at the end of February, taking advantage of the warmer weather as well as playing more experienced teams, Holcombe said.
“It’s a good opportunity for us to get out of here and play better teams,” he added.
Weather depending, Hubbard said they hope to get in 20 league games during the spring. Last spring, they were snowed out four times.
UM competes in the Northern Pacific Conference - East. Other teams in their conference include Weber State, Utah State, Boise State, Idaho, Idaho State and Montana State.
Tryouts will be held on Friday at 5 p.m., as well as on Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Missoula Maverick Legion Fields on Spurgin Road.
Holcombe said they are hoping tryouts will bring in more interested players and let people know UM has a baseball team.
“We’d love to see them come out and put their skills to the test for a chance to play baseball for us in the spring,” Holcombe said.
whitney.bermes@umontana.edu