After 38 years, baseball returns to WSSU

Let's Play Ball!

Baseball fans wait every spring to hear those words. Now Rams fans only have to wait until the spring to hear those words.

For the first time since 1973 Winston-Salem State will have a baseball team.  

WSSU is now one of eight schools that have a baseball program. The CIAA requires colleges and universities to have a baseball program to join the conference.

The Rams will be led by Kevin Ritsche, interim head men's baseball coach.

He is no stranger to WSSU. Ritsche has served as assistant professor of exercise science in the Department of Human Performance and Sport Sciences since 2006.

Ritsche was also a standout player on the diamond where he played catcher and was also a two-time Academic All- American while playing at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn. in 2003 and 2004.

He is working on his doctorate in Exercise Physiology.

According to a recent  WSSU press release, Chancellor Donald Reaves is excited about a WSSU baseball team.

Having played baseball as a little leaguer Reaves said  baseball is a great game.  

Reaves said he hopes a WSSU baseball team will generate more interest in the sport.

"We took 10 guys from the 40 that came out [for tryouts]," Ritsche said. "Out of the 40 people only a dozen had high school baseball experience."

When WSSU returned to the CIAA, the conference had to revise the schedule it had originally planned to use.

"Even though the schedule isn't done yet we are preparing our players as if they are going on the field tomorrow," Ritsche said.

The season opens with a conference game against Shaw University Feb. 9, 2011.

One of the biggest challenges that the Rams baseball team will face during the season is keeping the interest of the student body.

"Everybody loves to win, so I feel that if we win then we will keep the attention of the school and be able to compete with the basketball and football teams when it comes to being a popular sport on campus," Ritsche said.

The new baseball team will face another challenge.

"We have been using the old practice football field below the C.E. Gaines Center.

"Even though we cannot use the field for hitting or outfielders practice it's better than not having a place at all," Ritsche said.

The team also needs a field for home games.

"Athletic Director Bill Hayes is working very hard to find us a quality place to practice and play our home games," Ritsche said.