by Russell Vannozzi | Dec 25, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
Jeffrey Passantino spent his minor league baseball season living out of a suitcase. In a span of three months, he moved from Arizona to Indiana to Oregon and, finally, back to Indiana. “One side is dirty, one side is clean,” he said of the makeshift dresser on wheels. His former Lipscomb teammates Brady Puckett and Lee Solomon had more stable living situations, at least by minor league standards. Puckett was with the Greensboro (N.C.) Grasshoppers for one month before he was promoted to the Jupiter (Fla.) Hammerheads, while Solomon headed west to Peoria, Arizona, after being selected by the San Diego Padres in June’s MLB Amateur Draft. “There are no complaints whatsoever,” Puckett said. “It was really hot [in Florida], and I sweated through like three shirts every day, but I had a good time.” All three players had standout seasons and are now one step closer to becoming Lipscomb’s next crop of talent to reach the big leagues – a group that includes Caleb Joseph, Rex Brothers and Josh Smith. Cheap hotels, long bus rides and fast-food meals aside, each of the former Bisons said they are thrilled to be chasing a dream that so few are afforded. “It’s hard to beat,” Solomon said of minor league life. “Our manager is always reminding us that we’re making money by hitting batting practice and taking ground balls instead of living in an office.” Passantino logged the most miles of the trio this season. He began the year in the Chicago Cubs’ extended Spring Training, but he was added to the Class-A South Bend Cubs for 10 days in June....
by Russell Vannozzi | Sep 24, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
Another baseball season has nearly come and gone. For Lipscomb’s nine former players in the professional ranks, 2018 was a mixed bag. Several players had outstanding seasons, while others struggled to stay healthy and find consistency. Caleb Joseph appeared in a few MLB games with his younger brother, while Michael Gigliotti tore his ACL and missed nearly the entire season. Meanwhile, Chris Nunn found success in the independent American Association after being released by the Houston Astros. Those are just a few of the storylines that can be found in the full breakdown below: MLB (1): Caleb Joseph, C, Baltimore Orioles: 77 GP, 251 AB, 25 R, 54 H, 17 RBI, 3 HR, 10 BB, .215 AVG* After batting .256 in 2017, Joseph’s performance at the plate regressed some this season. He spent one month with Triple-A Norfolk to get more regular playing time, but the Orioles brought Joseph back to Baltimore in June. The Franklin native then got the rare opportunity to pair with his younger brother, Corban, who briefly called up by the Orioles this summer. They are just one of nearly 100 sets of brothers to became MLB teammates. Baltimore (45-110) is set to finish with the worst record in baseball. Joseph has been outspoken about the team’s struggles and told The Athletic’s Dan Connolly that he understands why Camden Yards is mostly empty on game nights. “I don’t blame (the fans) at all,” Joseph said of the Oriole faithful. “I’ve been through really bad seasons in professional sports as a fan in Nashville. It’s not motivating. Of course, I don’t blame them at all (for not...
by Erin Turner | Apr 8, 2015 | News Slider, Sports
Senior Josh Lee made his way back to where his college baseball career began when he provided the firepower to lift the Bisons past his former team, No. 1 Vanderbilt, Tuesday night. Lee drove in three runs for the Lipscomb baseball team to help guide them to a 3-1 win at Hawkins Field. Before coming to Lipscomb, Lee was recruited by Vandy and played three games for the Commodores his freshman year. In 2013, he transferred to Central Arizona Community College before landing at Lipscomb his junior year. “Once I got on Lipscomb’s campus last year I knew this was home for me,” Lee said. “It’s where I was meant to be.” Lee said that although Vandy was not the right fit for him, he enjoyed building relationships with the coaches and players there. Although brief, his experience there helped him prepare for this game. “It was definitely a different feeling [playing on Hawkins Field] than any other game we have had, but it’s a place I was very familiar with, so I knew what to expect in terms of the crowd and how the field was going to play and what I was going to get from the opposing team,” Lee said. Lee said he followed the advice of his father when he stepped up to the plate. “I didn’t want to make the moment too big,” Lee said. “That’s what my dad always told me to do — just relax, have fun, see the ball, hit it gap to gap and just have that in the back of my mind.” Tuesday night, Lee batted in runs in the first...
