Spring practice is officially underway and after only five practices we have already gotten a tremendous amount of work done.  We have already had two intra-squad scrimmages, which are huge for both the pitchers and the hitters, because it gives us a chance to experience game-like situations.  As a hitter it's always good to start the scrimmages because facing a live pitcher is something that can be hard to do after the holiday break.  Our coaches have always done a good job of letting us get a lot of at bats in before the season so that by the time opening day gets here we are ready to roll.  The rain has thrown a little bit of a wrinkle into our practice plans this week, but we are blessed with indoor facilities and we are still able to get a large amount of work in, even on days when the rain never stops.  We have been preparing for the season since we got back in August and these next few weeks are an opportunity to fine-tune everything to make sure we start the season off on the right foot.  Getting off to a good start is so important in college baseball, especially for us with the schedule that we have during the first few weeks of the season.

The buzz amongst the players is different this year, more so than any of the previous three years that I have been here.  I think one reason for that is the things that happened for our athletic program this fall.  The success of our football team on a national stage was an exciting time for all Cougar fans, and opened many of the guys' eyes as to what a great opportunity we have lying before us.  I remember the night that the football team faced Texas Tech and the whole campus was covered in red and there were masses of Cougar fans everywhere.  Some teammates and I decided to go to the game together and we were all just astounded at the amount of excitement that was not only on campus that night, but throughout the whole city.  It seemed like our university and this city were getting what they were craving, a national contender. We realized, as a group, that we are very capable of producing the same type of buzz if we stick together, work hard, and take care of business.  With one of the toughest schedules in the nation we have a great opportunity to propel ourselves onto the national stage and do it early in the year.  This is by far the toughest schedule we have had in my time as a Cougar and the guys couldn't be more excited.  Strength of schedule is so important when it comes to Regional consideration and is something that we haven't necessarily been able to boast in the past two years.  The Cougar Nation will be behind us all the way and it's our job to make it happen.  When I lay down at night I think about the sea of red that was there that night at Robertson and how awesome it would be to have the same type of atmosphere every weekend at Cougar Field.

February 19^th cannot come soon enough!  As that day approaches we are getting more and more prepared and excited for the long season ahead of us.  I hope to see many Cougar fans on opening night as we start our journey together. 

Thanks for your support

Zak Presley #15