Each year, the Hinds Community College baseball program holds the Iron Eagle Challenge during the three days leading into semester finals.
The Iron Eagle is a mental and physical challenge where the baseball team divides into a Gray team and a Maroon team. Each team and individual compete for points. The three-day event allows the Eagles one final opportunity to compete as a team before heading into the Christmas break.
All of the players on the winning team in the team events earn 100 points apiece, while the losing team members all collect 75 points apiece. In the individual events, the first place winner gets 100 points, second place gets 75 points, third place gets 65 points, fourth place gets 55 points and fifth place receives 50 points. All competitors who did not finish in the top five get 20 points for participating.
Day one of the challenge consisted of the push-up competition, board push relay race (team event) and partner wheelbarrow carry race (team event). All of the players on the winning team in the team events earn 100 points apiece, while the losing team members all collect 75 points apiece.
Day two consisted of the farmer plate carry, 5-10-5 shuttle run, tug-of-war (team event) and timed ½ mile.
The final day saw the Eagles compete in the tire flip (team event) and finish with the grueling obstacle course (team event).
Carlisle Koestler (Vicksburg), a redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher and Southeastern Louisiana University signee, won the 2015 edition on Dec. 9 after finishing with 700 points to narrowly surpass Trey Jolly, who ended up in second place with 675 points.
The Maroon team, led by Koestler, grabbed the overall win with 8,475 points and notched the come-from-behind victory over the Gray team, which finished with 8,120 points.
The top five players who placed are as follows:
1st place – Carlisle Koestler (700 points) – Maroon
2nd place – Trey Jolly (675 points) - Gray
3rd place – Acy Owen (665 points) - Maroon
4th place – Colton Cox (640 points) - Maroon
5th place – Trent Driver (585 points) - Gray
The Iron Eagle Challenge concluded the offseason conditioning phase for the Eagles, who will now prepare for the 2016 season. Hinds returns to practice on Monday, Jan. 11, and will open the season at home versus Bossier Parish (La.) Community College on Wednesday, Feb. 10.
