In unprecedented times, Yale University Athletics is rallying together as One Bulldog Nation. While the health and safety of everyone must be at the forefront of every decision, Yale Athletics celebrates the outstanding accomplishments that our winter postseason-qualifying teams and spring programs have made this season. This week we continue honoring the outstanding senior classes of our teams that had their seasons cut short. Next up is baseball.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Two weeks ago, the Yale baseball team began its spring trip to Florida. The Bulldogs were looking to gain some momentum heading into the home opener March 18 and the start of Ivy League play March 20. They were one year removed from a 2019 season in which they won seven of their last nine games, making a late push and narrowly missing a spot in the Ivy playoffs. They were two years removed from their second straight Ivy League championship and three years removed from setting the school record for wins (34), including a pair in the NCAA Tournament.

Led by a senior class that had experienced all of those achievements, the 2020 Bulldogs were intent on adding to that long list.

But while the Bulldogs were down south, amidst the outbreak of COVID-19, the Ivy League made the decision to cancel all remaining events for spring sports. Yale played one last game, at Jacksonville, before ending the season only 10 games in.

While the abrupt termination of the Bulldogs' season is certainly disappointing for the team, even more heartbreaking is the loss of almost a full season's worth of games for the Bulldogs' senior class. The class of 2020 may thus leave behind an incomplete resume, but it also leaves behind a lasting mark on the program moving forward.
 
The seven seniors -- Justin Ager, Bobby Cecere, Thomas Espig, Dai Dai Otaka, Brian Ronai, Tyler Sapsford and Alex Stiegler -- are the last link to Yale's most recent NCAA tournament appearance. They experienced a consistent level of success during their three complete seasons, winning Ivy League Championships in 2017 and 2018 and finishing third in 2019. The 2017 team swept Penn in the Ivy League Championship Series, earning a spot in the NCAA's Corvallis Regional. In the NCAAs the Bulldogs beat Holy Cross and Nebraska before ultimately being eliminated by the No. 1 seeded Oregon State Beavers. 

The senior class has played a big role in Yale's success, starting with that 2017 season.
 
Hamilton, Va., native Justin Ager battled through injuries for most of his collegiate years, making seven appearances through his first three seasons. Finally healthy this year, Ager finished his career on a high point with his only appearance of 2020. He pitched three scoreless innings in the Bulldogs' final game of the season. 
 
Bobby Cecere blossomed as a relief pitcher during his sophomore season, pitching to a 2.16 ERA and striking out nine in 13 appearances. The Glastonbury, Conn., native made 30 appearances during the course of his Yale career. Adding a cutter to his pitching arsenal recently, Cecere was slated to be a big part of Yale's 2020 bullpen.
 
Vancouver, B.C., native Thomas Espig made 31 appearances throughout his four seasons, including one in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Espig enjoyed perhaps his best season as a sophomore, allowing only nine hits in 10.2 innings and sporting a 4.22 ERA. A lefty who could start or relieve, Espig had the potential to make big contributions this spring.
 
Dai Dai Otaka was a defensive stalwart for the Bulldogs throughout his collegiate career. The Novi, Mich., native started at shortstop as a rookie and led the Ivy League in double plays turned in 2019 (41). He was a major reason why Yale led the nation in significant defensive categories each of the last two seasons -- double plays per game in 2019 (1.32) and fielding percentage in 2018 (.985, tying the NCAA record).
 
Brian Ronai became a true power-speed threat for the Bulldogs during his junior season. After recording one home run and no stolen bases during his first two years, the Orange, Conn., native smacked four home runs and swiped nine bags in 2019. In only nine games this year, Ronai hit .308 with three home runs and five stolen bases. His size, athleticism and versatility had him primed for a great season.
 
Tokyo, Japan, native Tyler Sapsford established himself as a valuable relief pitcher for the Bulldogs early in his career. Sapsford made 53 appearances, compiling 51 strikeouts along the way. He pitched an inning of scoreless relief in the Ivy League Championship Series against Penn in 2017, then pitched six innings in the NCAA Tournament in a pair of appearances. After a great fall, Sapsford was looking to be a huge part of Yale's staff this season.
 
Dallas, Texas, native and captain Alex Stiegler is one of the best two-way threats for Yale in recent memory. Stiegler proved his prowess in the box early on, hitting .337 with four home-runs as a rookie. He grew more and more dominant on the mound as his career progressed, eventually posting a 6-4 record with a 3.52 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 2019 and earning first team All-Ivy honors. With a fastball in the low 90s, Stiegler was poised to start the first game of every series for the Bulldogs this season -- and to play in the field when not pitching.
 
While the Class of 2020 will never know what might have happened if the 2020 season had been played as scheduled, they still have a slew of achievements to be proud of and the knowledge that the program has a bright future ahead.

Let the games begin. #ThisIsYale pic.twitter.com/gmy1GHKqXC

— Yale Baseball (@YaleBaseball) February 21, 2020

"We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood, his town, better than he found it." @Yale pays tribute to our 41st President, George H.W. Bush '48. #Yale41 | #ThisIsYale pic.twitter.com/Nj1GekGTwR

— Yale Athletics (@YaleAthletics) May 7, 2019

?? #nerdalert https://t.co/ZvJsuUCspY

— Yale Baseball (@YaleBaseball) June 2, 2017