Chuck McGill: Hornets baseball program ascends behind Anderson

By Chuck McGill -- cmcgill@nvdaily.com

Almost two years ago to the day, Jordan Zimmermann, now a rookie for the Washington Nationals, toed the rubber at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wis., pitching for Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the Division 3 World Series.

Zimmermann, who a month later was selected by the Nationals in the MLB first-year player draft, had electric stuff in that opening round game in 2007. He tossed a complete game, allowed no runs, only one hit and struck out 10. For good measure, he had his team's only two extra-base hits and finished 3-for-3 as the No. 3 hitter.

Shenandoah baseball coach Kevin Anderson, flanked by then-assistant Kirk Renegar, watched in awe from the stands. He took mental notes, trying to visualize his burgeoning program on the same field with D-3's elite. After the first day of competition, any fantasy of one day feeling the plush grass of Appleton's infield under his feet was fleeting.

"It was, quite frankly, an eye opener for us," said Anderson, who took the trip after saving money in his budget during the year by skipping conventions and clinics. "The pitching depth, the size of the players, the speed of the players. We had a couple like that, but not enough. Flying out there was one of the best things we ever did."

When Anderson took over the SU baseball program in 2003, he wasn't sure if he'd have enough players to compete in his first season as coach. There needed to be a roster overhaul, a talent overhaul and an attitude overhaul.

By the time he visited Appleton after his fourth season, the Hornets were headed in the right direction. They could shift their focus from fielding a competitive team to contending in the USA South or maybe reaching a regional tournament.

The World Series? Please. There were no Zimmermanns pulling scouts to Bridgeforth Field.

Today, however, Anderson returns to Appleton. This time he'll be flanked by a couple dozen wide-eyed baseball players. His lineup card won't feature future middle-of-the-order hitters for the Cubs or Yankees; his rotation and bullpen aren't stocked with hurlers possessing even one plus pitch, much less two or three.

But behind Anderson, the Hornets have arrived.

"When we came into the program ... it was a struggle to make a name for ourselves," senior outfielder Jasen Eberz said. "I felt people were kinda laughin' at us, like, 'Wow, you guys are kind of a joke."

Not anymore.

Shenandoah tore through the regular season, shattering the program's offensive records across the board. The Hornets then earned their first-ever regional tournament berth, where they went undefeated to win the title and secure one of the eight spots in the World Series.

Even with the talent disparity, Anderson returned to Winchester from his trip two years ago eschewing the doubt in his own mind while making his players believe they could one day play in the World Series.

"The trip kinda showed he was serious about going there," senior catcher Scott Lambert said. "He came back and told us what we need to do to get there."

"I think it's gone from us going to Appleton to us winning Appleton," Eberz added. "We're going to Appleton with a whole different outlook now."

The players heap all the praise onto Anderson, who fights off any credit like an 0-2 breaking pitch. Anderson is a mountain of a man, the kind of guy that makes you want to tuck in your shirt and stand up straight when you see him coming. He has a voice that can reverberate from foul pole to foul pole and he's stern when he needs to be.

But by all accounts, he's nothing but a teddy bear.

Anderson's family is his priority, which includes his two young sons who served as bat boys for Shenandoah this season. But his family tree also includes every single player on the Hornets' roster.

"I sincerely hope that every player in our program knows that we care about them as a person," Anderson said. "They aren't just a person wearing a jersey with a number on the back."

After Shenandoah beat Johns Hopkins on Saturday to win the South Regional and advance to the World Series, the players held a closed-door meeting in the locker room. They all gathered in a circle to pray, the silence of the room broken only by the sobs of grown men overjoyed by the accomplishments in a game considered our nation's pastime.

"It turned into a big cryfest," Eberz admitted.

Anderson recounted that moment in his office in Winchester on Monday. His voice softened and began to crack.

"That was pretty special, man," he said. "I get choked up a little bit. This is a dream come true for them and it's a dream come true for me. I'm just along for the ride."

A ride to Appleton, where maybe this time Anderson and Shenandoah are the ones that open eyes.