A petition to “Bring Back Furman Baseball” has been circulating Furman’s campus since May 2020. Last week, this campaign finally paid off after four years — well, kind of.
The Furman baseball program was officially dismantled in March 2020 due to budget cuts. Having served the last several years as an additional soccer and lacrosse practice field, Latham Stadium was finally once again used for a baseball game — this time, by a new club team.
On March 16, 2024, Furman students hosted the first spring club baseball game, facing off against the University of Georgia. On a hot 80-degree afternoon, fans and students enjoyed a classic American pastime while cheering for the Dins in what seemed like a time capsule.
Umpires were hired from South Carolina’s High School League to officiate the double-header, and an announcer was also on the call for the game. As attendees sang the national anthem before the first pitch, it was clear that Furman University had missed spring afternoons of baseball.
While it is still unknown whether an NCAA-affiliated Furman baseball team will ever take the field on campus again, the new club team should satisfy any students with an itch to go watch a ballgame.
Sophomore team captain, Drew Freeman, stated that his motivation for starting the club team was to eventually see a full return of the sport, but in the meantime, “to bring any level of baseball to Furman.”
The club baseball team is made up of 18 students, most of whom played baseball in high school, and as Freeman said, “were not ready to give it up.” The team practices on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:45-8:45 p.m. and invites new players to come give it a try for themselves.
The team will join the National Club Baseball Association (NCBA) next season, allowing for an extensive schedule with a greater variety of opponents. Until then, they will continue to practice and grow in community with one another while bonding over the shared dream of Furman baseball.
The team roster is listed below:
#0 Billy Katramados JR
#1 Drew Gilley FR
#2 Lane Hudson JR
#3 Jakeman Pendleton SO
#5 Aiden Pierce FR
#7 Drew Freeman SO
#9 Roman DiTraglia FR
#12 Caden Parry SR
#14 Ryan Jonson SR
#20 Hunter McDuffie SR
#23 Liam Bunde FR
#24 Jayden Jones SR
#28 Nate Malkin FR
#31 Brayden Diehl FR
#47 Liam Mullin FR
#69 Jack Sinex JR
#74 Ryan Hosey SR
#88 Joseph Tarrant FR
