By Cari Griggs, Senior Staff Writer
Junior Pitcher Allen Townsend pitches Friday in Jim Wade Stadium. The Stars beat MidAmerica Nazarene, 2-1. Townsend struck out 10 batters and gave up one run in a 112-pitch performance. Photo: Marianne Pickens/ The Campus
The start of the baseball season at OCU marks the start of rituals for some players.
The team opened the season Feb. 11 with a 5 to 4 loss to Louisiana State University at Shreveport, La.
The team’s record was 1-2 at presstime.
Senior Pitcher Mike Richard has pregame rituals that he must complete each time he plays.
“I’ve tried messing around with them a couple of times, and I wasn’t so successful,” he said. “It felt really weird not doing it.
“Something wasn’t right the whole day I was pitching.”
The first of Richard’s rituals is to complete eight sprints before each game.
“It can’t be any more or any less,” he said.
He also has a set ritual to prepare for pitching.
“When I’m warming up in the bull pin, I always throw each of my pitches only three times,” he said.
The last of Richard’s superstitions has nothing to do with his physical preparation.
“I always have sunflower seeds in my back pocket as I am pitching,” Richard said.
He said he learned these different practices from one of his role models.
“I picked them up watching my dad as he played for the Seattle Mariners,” Richard said.
He said it is common in baseball for players to have set rituals to complete before a game.
“A lot of hitters have specific sequences they do every time they are up to bat,” Richard said.
Senior Catcher Chad Carman has had his ritual for a year.
“I make sure I have a Monster and a Mr. Goodbar before every game,” Carman said. “If I’m hitting well, I’ll make sure and hold the bat the same way every time I’m up, and if not, I’ll rotate bats.
“I’m very superstitious about that stuff.”
The next home game will be March 1 against Briar Cliff in Jim Wade Stadium.
A complete schedule of the team’s games can be found at ocusports.com.
This article originally was published in the Feb. 23 issue of The Campus.
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