By Brianna Huffmaster – Baseball Beat Reporter | Spear Editor
Dalton Bowling, Hunter Dorraugh, Theo Hardy, Matt Spear, and Robert Hamchuk postgame on May 16, 2024 | Photo by Evan Weiss – KSJS Radio (@chevan.pov)
San Jose State baseball players have experienced it all during their collegiate careers: the pandemic, a 6-30 season and winning the Mountain West title.
Five seniors who are the core of the team are about to leave their SJSU careers. Nicknamed the Fab Five: Dalton Bowling, Hunter Dorraugh, Robert Hamchuk, Theo Hardy, and Matt Spear are all leaving a legacy on the program for years to come.
SJSU baseball went from being an underdog to a championship team within the past three years. The team made the tournament in 2022 which was the first year the Fab Five played together. It only went up from there.
“We were picked to finish last in the conference in 2022,” Bowling said. “No one really respected or trusted us to be good in the conference. We came together as a team and showed everybody we’re here to play and make this program representable.”
Fast forward to a year later, the program won it all and put its mark on the conference. Treacherous eras of the pandemic and a six win season turned into a title with the Fab Five being a significant part of it.
Conquered the conference
— San José State Baseball (@SanJoseStateBSB) May 29, 2023#AllSpartans pic.twitter.com/E1OwBXVyVP
After the championship season, the Fab Five looked forward to their senior years and the chance of going back-to-back. Just two seasons after the team was projected to sit last the tables turned with them projected to finish first going into this season.
This season has not gone in favor of the pre-season projections. The team had a home-field disadvantage with playing only 18 home games versus 32 on the road. Both the offense and pitching have had hot and cold streaks that determined close games. Despite all of this, the Fab Five have all added school records or personal bests to their names in their final season.
Dorraugh is the SJSU home run king while Bowling holds the all-time RBI record. Hamchuk has a career-best hitting streak, Hardy with a career-best 20 game on-base streak, and Spear with a career-high in home runs.
The Fab Five also have stacked resumes with Mountain West accolades such as all-tournament, first-team and academic honors. These achievements will leave a big legacy on the program. Being in the record books represents the hard work and dedication the five put into their collegiate careers.
“It’s always going to be cool to look back and be able to say you were part of a special program and always be in the history books,” Dorraugh said. “It’s just a testament to all the work we’ve put in these last few years.”
The Fab Five have been the everyday starters for the past two seasons and are the heart and soul of the team. Between the offensive power and strong defensive skills, the memories made on the field will be something they will all look back on and cherish.
“In 15-20 years from now when we have a reunion for winning the Mountain West tournament, we’re going to be able to look back at all the things that we’ve done and remember all the best times we’ve had together,” Hamchuk said.
With all of them leaving the program, the team will look very different going into next season. This is the perfect opportunity for younger members to gain experience in a starting role and develop.
“The younger guys here are going to have their chance to start playing a lot more and prove they belong to start or have more playing time,” Spear said. “The guys are ready and they’re excited.”
So, what is next? All hope to continue to play with any opportunities that arise. Whether that would be using the extra year of NCAA eligibility elsewhere or at a post-collegiate level, they all love the game and want to play until the opportunities run out.
The last three years have been filled with highs and lows but the Fab Five will always cherish the time they had playing together for SJSU.
“These are some of the best people I’ve ever been around,” Hardy said. “It’s great taking the field having Dalton on my left, Hunter at first, Matt behind the plate, and Robbie behind me in left field. Showing up everyday and being around everyone is what makes it so special.”
This is the end of an era for SJSU baseball. It’s not all about the records and accomplishments but rather the legacy and leadership all five will leave behind to positively impact the program for years to come.
