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The game is a culmination of the 9^th Annual Diamond Classics Weekend, which gives past AWC Baseball Alumni a chance to catch up with old classmates. The AWC Baseball program’s storied 46-year history began in 1964 under current AWC Assistant Baseball Coach (and former AWC Athletic Director) Jack Watson. Watson’s 11 years of building the program from scratch was highlighted by winning seasons throughout his tenure before he stepped down as both Matadors’ Baseball Coach and Athletic Director in ’75. John Stratton took over the baseball program in 1984, and has built a winning tradition that has seen several Matador players head to major league organizations. Many former players return each January to the AWC campus to play in the annual event, including: current San Francisco Giants’ major leaguers Bengie Molina and Sergio Romo; AWC’s first NJCAA All-American (and current Detroit Tigers’ Director of Player Personnel) Glenn Ezell; former Dodger minor leaguer Gary Pullins, who coached baseball at Brigham Young University for over 20 years and was recently inducted into the BYU Athletic Hall of Fame; current Dixie College president Bob Huddleston; former Orioles’ minor leaguer Brad Drysdale; and current minor league prospects Michael Jones (Red Sox), Bryan Casey (Royals) and Stephen Smith (Dodgers). 

Many listed above, including Molina and Romo, have already confirmed their appearances for this weekend, which begins at the batting cage at 11:30AM Saturday morning with alumni batting practice at Kammann Field. Fans are welcome to come enjoy the festivities at that time to get autographs and listen to the swapping of old stories, and the media is encouraged to get interviews with players-past and present-at that time. After that, the fans will get treated to an action-filled afternoon as the Alumni battle the 2010 AWC Matadors’ baseball team in the annual AWC Alumni Baseball Game at 1PM. Admission to the game is absolutely free. Organizers are asking the media to get the word out about the game so that local alumni who might not have had the chance to get involved in the past can get into the mix for 2010 and beyond. Those looking to get involved can call John Stratton at (928) 344-7542 or Jack Watson at (928) 782-9571 for more information. Fans can log onto the Alumni Baseball Game page on the AWC Athletics website: http://www.azwestern.edu/student_services/athletics/alumnibaseballgame.html