Charlie Martinez/Criterion

Charlie Martinez
Managing Editor

The sun beats down on the infield, but the cold breeze keeps things from getting too warm. In the stands sits a group of cheering college students.
The players can’t help but smile as the college students chant and cheer. These Little League players are 11-12 years old and their cheerleaders are close to twice their age.
Recently, the Residence Hall Councils in each of the residence halls on campus decided that they wanted to use part of their budgets to sponsor local Little League teams in Grand Junction.
Kyle Cooper, a mass communications major, is the senior resident assistant of Tolman Hall. Because of his urgings, his RHC decided to head up the movement to sponsor the Little League teams.
“We were able to get the other RHCs to sponsor Little League teams of their own,” Cooper said. “We were able to sponsor five teams. My goal was to get the residents living on campus involved in our community.”
Cooper and several other residents came together on April 13 to cheer on the teams that they had sponsored. The Tolman Hall Tigers took on the North Avenue Student Housing (NASH Hall) Tigers and students in the crowd held up signs that said, “Mesa [heart]’s our Tigers.”
Xavier Liggins, a resident of Tolman Hall is a psychology major.
“I was stoked to see this game,”  Liggins said. He and several friends were encouraged to come by Cooper.
The Tolman Tigers, sporting orange jerseys with “Tolman Hall” scrawled across the back opened the game against the purple NASH Hall Tigers team. The Tolman Tigers tied it in the first inning after the runner was caught in a pickle between third and home. Later on the Tolman Tigers got up one run.
Later in the game the NASH Hall Tigers scored some runs after Matt Hart, 11, hit a triple to left field. Hart’s father, Gary sat watching his son. After discovering that the loud college students in the stands were partially responsible for sponsoring his son’s team, Gary Hart said, “I think it’s really nice, I had no idea.”
On the opposing team, the Tolman Hall Tigers, Johnathan Seiler, 12, played first base. This is just his second year playing, but he got a runner out at first in the second inning.
Tony Martinez, coach of the Tolman Hall Tigers said, “I think it’s a good thing [that the college students sponsored us], it’s nice they are helping to keep the costs down.”
Todd Mantlo is the head coach for the NASH Hall Tigers.
“I think that’s awesome and I’d like to thank (the college students,)” Mantlo said. “I spend a lot of time over at Mesa at baseball games. I played baseball there for a semester.” Mantlo was encouraged to see so many college students come to support their respective teams.
“Out here that’s what we need – everyone getting involved.”
The players on both teams smiled every time the rowdy college students cheered for them or other members of their team. The whole atmosphere was one of unity and support. Parents in the crowd really seemed to appreciate the fact that several students in leadership positions at the college took the time to support their children.
As the sun set on this game and the college student cheerleaders in the stand, the score was 10-6 with the NASH Hall Tigers in the lead. But the Little League season has just begun for these teams and the other three that were sponsored by residence halls around campus.
Schedules for the games are available from resident assistants.

cmartine@mesastate.edu