One of the many advantages to Division III athletics is the opportunity for more student-athletes to enjoy competing in more than one sport at the collegiate level. We had 11 guys on last fall's roster that are playing two-sports this year. Four are currently playing baseball while 7 others are members of the track and field team. Today we'll highlight those four football-baseball guys, and later in the week we'll focus on the track and field athletes.
Chad Christoff '10, Ryan Fletcher '11, Mike Bogard '12, and Brian Taylor '13 are all enjoying huge success this spring with the Pioneer baseball team jumping out to an 8-0 start in MWC play and 17-11 overall.
Christoff is a relief pitcher and has the second most appearances on the team and has held opposing hitters to a .213 average. Only giving up 10 hits, he has 2 saves and 4 strikeouts.
Fletcher has been rotating in and out of the starting lineup as a first baseman/designated hitter starting 13 of the team's 28 games. Currently he has the 6th highest batting average on the team at .326, while driving in 7 runs, stealing 2 bases and only committing 2 errors in 116 chances at first base.
Bogard has just been cleared to resume full activity after rupturing 3 ligaments in his knee in a football game this fall. He is slowly working himself back into pitching shape, and might be able to pitch for the Pioneers down the stretch.
Taylor serves as both a pitcher and back-up catcher for the baseball squad. He leads the team in ERA, with a spot-free 0.00 and is allowing opposing hitters only a .200 batting average.
The opportunity for these guys to play two sports at the collegiate level is an experience they'll never forget. Bogard says "There is absolutely no substitute for the camaraderie and friendships developed through sports, and being involved with multiple teams facilitates these one-of-a-kind interactions." Sharing similar sentiments about his teammates, Christoff said, "The benefits of playing two sports at the next level extend beyond the fact that I didn't have to give up playing one of the games I loved, but manifest themselves off the field in a way that I could never have imagined."
