When the UA baseball team takes the field for the first time in front of fans this season, they should find some familiar faces in the other dugout.
The Wildcats host the annual alumni game Sunday at 12:45 p.m. at Sancet Stadium.
Alumni activities start at 11 a.m. with an autograph session, followed by a home run derby at noon. Both squads will have three hitters in the contest.
Junior catcher Nick Hundley said his team's derby lineup has yet to be set, and that the squad will be selected based on whoever hits the most home runs in batting practice.
UA head coach Andy Lopez said the alumni squad will include many players with professional experience. The lineup features class of 2003 outfielder Brian Anderson – the No. 1 prospect in the White Sox organization according to "Baseball America" – 2003 pitcher Joe Little, 1993 third baseman George Arias and 1986 pitcher Gil Heredia.
"It's always a good time when you see the guys who have been here before," junior outfielder Trevor Crowe said. "Hopefully there's going to be a smile on their faces because we've had some success of late and there's some expectations on us this season. I'm looking forward to seeing all the guys get out there."
Lopez, in his fourth year coaching at the UA, said his team has won every year that they have played the alumni. However, he said this game is more about welcoming back than winning.
"Competitors are competitors, but it's really the foundation of it. It is just a good time to have them all come back," he said.
Crowe, a second-team All-America selection by "Baseball America," said he recognizes the tradition of UA baseball. He mentioned Red Sox manager Terry Francona, Orioles pitcher Scott Erickson and Anderson as examples of former Wildcats he looks up to. However, he said he does not put too much stock into this game.
"I just take pride in being able to walk on the field with some of the guys who have played here before me who were great athletes," he said. "(Still), it's just kind of an exhibition. Everyday you want to come out and you want to beat the game and play hard, but that's really just a part of our preparation, not really a big step."
Hundley said looking across the dugout is special because you see their pictures in the locker room and names on the All-America lists, "so it's kind of where you want to be."
Even so, he said, the admiration ends when play begins.
"You can't have the older guys come in here and outdo us," he said. "We've got to show them how we play and we've got to run. There's a lot of older guys who play, but we're not going to play to their pace. We're going to run around and go hard and have a good time."
Lopez has only two goals for the game: stay injury-free and have a good time.
"It's just a real fun weekend, a good weekend to have alums come back," he said. "They get to come back and revisit where they came into themselves."