2017 Season Opener This Weekend

The Pioneers travel to Millington, TN for the Flag City Showcase at USA Stadium for 3 games this weekend.  Vol State will open up at 1:30 Friday vs Johnson County out of Overland Park, KS.  Johnson County has made two World Series appearances; one in 2008 and the other in 2014.  The Cavaliers finished 2016 with a 46-19 record. 

Game 2 will be Saturday at 10:00 am vs Jefferson County (JeffCo) out of Hillsboro, MO.  JeffCo has a very storied past appearing in the World Series in 2002, 2011, and 2012.  They have won 10 straight conference titles and have two of Perfect Game's top 100 2017 Draft prospects.  JeffCo finished 2016 with a 41-18 record.

Game 3 will follow game 2 on Saturday at 12:30 pm vs Three Rivers Community College out of Poplar Bluff, MO.  Three Rivers has produced four MLB players and 41 pro players.  They also have a Men's and Women's rodeo team which is impressive on its own merit.

Opening weekend will be a tough task for the Pioneers but will serve as a great benchmark to start 2017.  "We are excited to have a chance to play some of the top programs in the country; it should be a good challenge to test us early," said Coach Hunt.  Vol State had two players sign with NCAA Division I schools this past fall (Alex Lyon, Southern Illinois University and Richard Constantine, Western Kentucky University) and is coming off a 2016 season which had one kid drafted (DeAires Moses, Seattle Mariners) and one kid sign with Vanderbilt (Justin Wilson).  "It's a good indication that we can get guys in here and get them the exposure they need to further their baseball careers," said Coach Hunt.  He added, "We want to instill values here and make sure we teach the kids how to approach the game on the field and life off the field."  Coach Hunt is entering his 2nd season in charge of the Vol State program.