It’s difficult to believe that it will be quiet around the campus at Meridian Community College tomorrow morning, but another spring semester is officially over.

MCC hosted its 2015 spring graduation ceremonies on Friday night, and another record number received their diplomas. I wanted to start off this morning by saying congratulations to all of the graduates of MCC, and we are definitely sending a lot of bright minds out into the world.

The semester also closes the book on a crazy spring here for our athletic department, and that means a little rest for me. I had someone ask me the other day how I deal with everything that goes on at once, and I simply tell them that you need to have a true love for what you do. I enjoy the coaches, athletes and parents that I have a chance to be around every season here at MCC, and that’s what makes it worth the stress.

I really wanted to spend the next couple of weeks wrapping up the season for two of our sports before I headed off to vacation for a couple of weeks. I don’t think I have ever taken a vacation this early, and we are of course looking forward to a long break.

I have made it no mystery in visiting with you in the past that my passion for MCC dates back to my years of coming to baseball games with my dad here on campus. I always get accused of people for showing a great deal of favoritism toward our baseball team, but I guess you say I am guilty as charged. Where it all started was me coming to those first games when I was 5 years old and now, about to turn 33 next month, nothing has changed. I have grown to have a great love for our other sports, but it all started with MCC Eagle baseball.

The 2015 Meridian Community College baseball season came to end last weekend as the Eagles were eliminated from postseason play in the MACJC State Tournament in Raymond. The team was unique, and this particular group of players brought many different things to the table in 2015. I firmly believe that the team just ran out of gas down the stretch and didn’t play its best baseball in the final weeks of the spring.

I was a little disappointed in the way the season ended, but if you were around this group for just a few minutes, you would be a huge fan. I grew to admire each player on the entire roster, because each of them had a unique story that they brought with them to Meridian. The team didn’t lack any character and drive during the season, which was the biggest plus that any fan would admire about this particular group of players at MCC.

The never-give-up attitude was always there, and it really showed in the final homes games of 2015, in which MCC hosted ECCC in the opening round of the MACJC State playoffs.

MCC had to battle back in Game 1 to win on a late home run by Dalton Thomas and then had to fight back to win a decisive Game 3 in the series after being thoroughly embarrassed in Game 2, 14-1. The 2015 edition of the MCC baseball team can be simply summed up as a gritty bunch of ball players, and those three games were a perfect illustration of what this team represented throughout the whole spring. The team had to battle through a lot of adversity at times during the year, and they always played the game the right way.

I know that didn’t happen in its final two games for the MCC baseball team, but sometimes baseball just happens that way. The team that you think might be the best on a given day can simply not play its best baseball and in the case of MCC, that happened last weekend.

It is always difficult to say good-bye to anyone, but I just want to wish each player the best in the future. The vast number of sophomores on the team will be playing at another school next season and we hope they find even more success at the next level.

I just wanted to conclude things by visiting on this last subject regarding the MCC baseball team that was brought to my attention earlier this week by someone I know in the community. I will not mention his name, but he asked me if I thought MCC baseball would ever be competitive again? I think it is a fair question, because let’s be honest, the program is not what it was 20 years, and maybe 10 years ago, but I think it is in great hands.

One of the biggest factors is other programs in the state are just as competitive as Meridian, and it almost feels like SEC football at some points. The teams are all just as good, and all of the programs fight on the recruiting trail for the best talent in the State of Mississippi.

I will also say that, several months ago, I was talking with this same individual about MCC joining the MACJC for the first time in nearly 10 seasons. We discussed just how difficult it would be for MCC to make the postseason because it would be a different scenario than what it was in the past.

MCC joined the league after being in a three-team conference where you were guaranteed to be in postseason play every season. The promise for MCC baseball to make the postseason this year was no guarantee, because instead of playing 12 conference games, you would now play nearly 30 conference games. It was a huge change for the program, and I think the team dealt with the change in a great way. I think to make the postseason in your first season under those guidelines is impressive, and that tells me that the program will be fine.

I dismiss the thought that the program is not competitive anymore, but many people may say I am in the minority. I guess we can agree to disagree on this subject, but we all need something to believe in.

I finally want to end by saying I am proud of what the team did accomplish in 2015, and they are truly an incredible group of young men. We have a great coaching staff that works tirelessly to continue the tradition of the program as well. I hope you have a great week, and next week, I will give you a final update on the success of our track program as it closes out its first season here at MCC.

Thanks for your continued support of our athletic program at MCC, and Go Eagles!

Robby Atkinson is the sports information director at The Meridian Star.