Students taught their professors a lesson with a close win during the faculty vs. students softball game last Tuesday. Fans filled the bleachers of the softball field to watch the two teams go head-to-head. Director of Student Development Chris Williams kicked off the game by introducing the members of the faculty and student teams. The 16 players spanned from student-athletes to fan-favorite professors.
“I really enjoyed getting to see my professors outside of class competing against some of my classmates,” Miracle Alexander, a sophomore pre-medical laboratory science major, said.
The softball game encouraged students to mingle with professors and faculty outside of scheduled office hours and weekly lectures.
After a devastating loss in last year’s All-Star basketball game, faculty members hoped for a chance at redemption. Student players, such as Bryce Lovelady and Cohen Parent, tore those dreams to shreds.
Lovelady, a communications graduate student, scored several runs, helping the student team tie with faculty. Parent emerged as a standout player after he scored multiple home runs.
“I have always enjoyed playing slow-pitch softball, and I knew it would be fun to play against some faculty members that I have worked with.” Lovelady said.
The faculty team, led by geoscience professor Tyler Fricker and CAB coordinator Sidney Jones, put up a valiant effort. For most of the game, the two teams were locked in a bitter battle for the lead.
The game remained 20-20 until the fifth inning when a homerun derby decided the victor. When the dust on the mound settled, the students emerged as the winners.
However, the purpose of the faculty vs. student softball game is not bragging rights or rivalry. CAB started the tradition last year with the goal of bringing students and faculty together.
“The softball game shows a sense of unity and community beyond staff and student lines,” Jones said. “It shows that we are all a part of ULM.”
