Party on the diamond

Welcome home for alumni

MOSES LAKE — For the past six years, former baseball players from Big Bend Community College have converged on the Big Bend field to play the whippersnappers of the new squad.

"When I played at Whitworth we had an alumni game," said coach Don Lindgren. "I always said I'd put one together if I was ever a head coach."

There were a mere 13 alumni playing in the first alumni game. The roster has now swelled to between 30 and 40.

Former players from western Washington, Idaho, Montana and as far as Tennessee come back to Moses Lake to play a triple-header, try to hit a few homeruns and see old friends.

"There is a camaraderie between all of us," said Josh Small, an All-American last year for Central Washington University.

The craving for camaraderie seems to be something all the former players have and foster by catching up with alumni from several Big Bend teams.

"This is the best day of the year," said Dan Osachoff. Osachoff played for the Vikings from 2001-03. "Last year we all said we couldn't wait for this year."

The game is part of a four-game fall ball schedule for the newest Vikings to cut their teeth with. It gives the coaching staff more than an opportunity to see how their former players are doing; it gives them a chance to see how their new team stacks up.

Last year the alumni took the day winning two games against the Vikes.

This year's Viking squad is young, according to Lindgren.

"I think we've got 20 freshman on the team," Lindgren said. "We've got some good returners too, especially our pitchers."

As part of their initiation, the alumni heckle the new team during the course of the day.

The day is a relaxed one for those returning for a pleasant day of baseball. The alumni dugout is full of laughter, stories and updates. Despite the various ages of the alumni, the uniting factor of playing for Big Bend keeps the group tight-knit on the whole and everyone is included in the jokes and enjoyment of the day.

"What we like to see most is the fan support," said former player and assistant coach Kyle Heaverlo.

The Vikes have two more games on their fall ball schedule. They play in Spokane next weekend and end the fall the following weekend in Wenatchee.