By Maddie Hecht
Grab your peanuts and sunflower seeds and throw on your caps because the Orem Owlz baseball season has officially started.
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The team kicked off its 11th season with a four-game series against the Casper Ghosts. The games ran Monday through Thursday, and the Owlz finished the series with a 2-1 record.
Owlz manager Tom Kotchman recently told the Deseret News he’s not yet sure what kind of team he has this season, but he’ll see as the year goes along.
“Basically, when you are at this level, you play the hand you’re dealt every year, and some hands are better than others,” Kotchman said. “We’ll find out what kind of hand we’ve got.”
Minor league baseball is not a constant sport because rosters change yearly and sometimes even weekly. However, the Owlz have eight returning players from last year’s roster.
“Selfishly, it’s always good for the manager to have some guys returning, because they can guide the first-year guys to where they’re supposed to be, answer questions and tell them what to do and what not to do,” Kotchman said. “So it’s always good to have a few guys back.”
Looking to lead the team this year is Owlz third baseman Kaleb Cowart. Cowart is a former Gatorade High School Player of the Year and a first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
With the Owlz season lasting from June until September and having many home games, BYU students have a lot of opportunities to see the Owlz in action. The Wasatch Front Pass offers a special deal for students. For $50, students can enjoy unlimited Owlz and Utah Flash games, as well as admission to Seven Peaks Water Park and Trafalga for the summer.
Additionally, for student wards planning on going to a home game for FHE, deals may be made available by calling the Owlz office at 801-377-2255.
The Owlz Ticket Office is open from noon to 5 p.m. on non-game days and will open at noon on game days throughout the summer. The ticket office is located right next to the main gates at the Home of the Owlz.
The team’s next home game series will start on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. against the Ogden Raptors.
