“The one thing the coaching staff has really instilled in us is having 35 leaders,” said redshirt freshman pitcher Lucas Knowles. “So each person in the dugout is a leader in a different way. Everyone has their role. Not everyone is going to start (on the mound) or hit the big home run in that game, but everyone has a role. So (having) 35 leaders is a big staple in our program.”

As the team started winning, the personality of the 35-man squad started coming out more and more. Unlike a lot of squads that tighten up as the stakes get bigger and bigger, the Huskies have done the polar opposite. They have embraced the pressure and have actually seemed more relaxed as the spotlight has gotten brighter.

Besides the uniforms, you can always spot who the Diamond Dawgs are on the field. They’re usually the team purposely taking fly balls off their chests during the opposition’s batting practice, chanting, “Dos! Dos! Dos!” Or they’re the ones dancing like no one is watching during stretching. And the dancing carries over into the games, as the Huskies are never shy about busting a move in the dugout when their favorite songs come across the loud speakers.

The Huskies have also adopted several rallying cries in recent week, none more visible or vocal than their usage of the word “JOOG.” Anytime anything good happens on the field, the team will start chanting “JOOG! JOOG! JOOG!” The have even created the “JOOG” bat, which senior KJ Brady can be seen parading around the dugout after anything good happens. It doesn’t stop there, though, as MacIver has created t-shirts to commemorate their newest rallying cry.

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