Baseball Alumni Cheer On League Champions
BVU Celebrates Alumni Day as Beavers finish sweep of Coe on their way to American Rivers Conference Title.
Several Buena Vista University baseball alumni returned to campus on Saturday, April 15, as the Beavers hosted Coe College on Alumni Day.
The game started at 9:30 a.m. to avoid a storm system expected to arrive that afternoon. Beaver fans and alumni cheered on the team as it rallied from an early deficit to clip the Kohawks, 9-6, which closed out a three-game sweep in what would become a regular-season American Rivers Conference Championship for Coach Steve Eddie and his program.
Alumni gathered on the field following the game and received introductions. Ed Hendrickson ’55 drove from the Iowa Great Lakes to attend the game and share memories with current players and BVU staff members.
Coach Steve Eddie lauded the efforts of two former baseball players, Russell Eddie ’60 and Dennis “Swede” Anderson ’67, presenting the program’s first Beaver Baseball Diamond Awards in recognition of their dedicated annual support of the program.
BVU Athletics also welcomed BVU Hall-of-Fame honoree Brandon Pietrzyk ’11 to the game and formally presented his Hall of Fame plaque. Pietrzyk was joined at the event by his wife Hattie and their children, Paisley, Ada, and Brooks. He had been unable to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony last fall due to a work commitment as he served as Assistant Director of Sports Performance for the football program at Boise State University. He and his family have since relocated to Central Iowa as Brandon began serving the Iowa State Cyclones football program as Associate Strength & Conditioning Coach.
Following the game, alumni joined coaches and several more BVU baseball and soccer alumni in a reception that evening at Puff’s. Alumni players in attendance included: Easton Bahr ’21, Brad Blum ’12, Mark Blum ’10, Kyle Dupic ’12, Russell Eddie ’60, Larry Frakes ’76, Chris Gumto ’22, Ed Hendrickson ’55, Mike Hoffman ’17, Kevin Kloewer ’12, Ryley McGregor ’21, Brandon Pietrzyk ’11, Luke Probasco ’11, Jackson Smith ’22, Ryan Wuebker ’12, and Brock Yossi ’12.
Director of Athletics Scott Brown also presented Coach Eddie ’00 MSE ’07 with a plaque to honor the longtime skipper on the occasion of his 500th baseball victory as Head Coach at BVU. The Beavers won that milestone game, 8-7, over Benedictine University in Auburndale, Fla., on March 13.
The Beavers clinched the 2023 regular-season baseball title following a 7-1 victory over Simpson College on April 28. It marked the 22nd total conference championship for the program. BVU opened play in the American Rivers Conference Baseball Tournament on May 11 with a 5-0 victory over the University of Dubuque.