Take in a game at Bakersfield College and you might have a take on one of the next players to hit the major leagues. Colby Lewis, Justin Miller and Phil Dumatrait are just a few former Renegades to make it to the bigs but the list goes on.
But for 21 year skipper Tim Painton, this year is unlike any other. "The talent level top to bottom in our conference this year has been better than it's ever been," said Painton who's team finished the season 26-10.
While the conference was good, until recently the Renegades weren't. Painton says it was the team chemistry and that's echoed by sophomore catcher Jacob Herrera. "A team that plays full of individuals there's no trust, there's no belief that your teammates are going to make the play when they need to," said the Bakersfield HS graduate.
"Big egos" got in the way of the team's success last year but nothing washes away the bitterness of losing like the sweetness of winning. At the end of the March the Renegades were flirting with .500 but after a come from behind win over Saddleback College (the number one seed in this year's playoffs) the team won 15 of their last 16 including the final 8 of the season.
"We're never worried," said sophomore outfielder Brooks Douglass. "We could be down 2-3 runs in the bottom of the ninth. We know that eventually, it may not happen in the first seven or eight innings but in the ninth inning it's going to come."
The mindset of winning every time they take the field earned BC the #9 seed in the playoffs and a weekend best of three series with Long Beach City College.
Today the Renegades took game one 5-2 thanks to a complete game effort from Hudson Hartley.
Game two of the series will begin Saturday at 11am at Joe Hicks Memorial Field on the Long Beach City College Campus, with game three following the same day if necessary.
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