Since we seem to have hit a theme with sports cliches (and anyone who knows me has heard me fire a few out in my day!), I thought we would add one more --- act like you've been there!

That's what the Wabash baseball team did Sunday afternoon (probably better than the guy doing the radio broadcast --- me) when they defeated the number one ranked team in the nation, Wooster, on the road. The response of each player on the team was just what you want as a coach. They acted like it's just what they expected to have happen.

If you look at the entire series for Wabash, it was the validation of years of effort. I mentioned on the broadcast that the foundation for this win was set by former head coach Tom Flynn. Tom always talked about earning respect in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Wabash didn't have respect in the baseball world because it hadn't done anything since joining the NCAC to deserve it. We've never qualified for the league tournament, despite coming close on a couple of occasions.

I like to think of earning that respect like climbing stairs. One step would certainly be making the NCAC tournament. But we took a big step with the way we played this weekend at Wooster, including the two losses. The Little Giants never looked like they didn't belong on the field with Wooster. The Scots are the best college baseball team I've seen play in my time at Wabash. So for the Little Giant players to take everything the Scots threw at them and be able to take one of the three games tells me that the players listened to what Coach Flynn told them and continue to listen to what current head coach Cory Stevens is telling them.

It also tells me they believe in what they can be. I certainly saw it in the game Sunday, and in their reactions after the game. There was no jumping in the air, no big pile up around Joey Niezer after the last out. Just handshakes with the Wooster players and challenge to play that same way against Franklin and Ohio Wesleyan this week.

Because that's the next step on the stairs. If Wabash plays that way against Wooster, then struggles against Franklin and OWU, it's not ready to make that next step.

But my money is on the Little Giant baseball team. They've shown me they what they know what they can be. After the next big win they won't have to act like they've been. With the win against Wooster, they have been there.

Photo - Wabash players celebrate after a come-from-behind win earlier this year against Anderson.