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A Winning Attitude
May 10, 2007 San Marcos - Senior outfielder Jared Bunn eats, sleeps and breathes Texas State baseball. His all or nothing attitude started when he was younger and derived from his passion to be a professional athlete. Bunn found motivation and looked up to some of the greatest athletes in the world, including Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali. He coincidently wears jersey number 23 and has found his own, "breakfast of champions." "On game day, I make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and then dip them in spaghetti and meatballs and wash it all down with Gatorade," said Bunn. But weird food combinations aside, as graduation nears and the regular season winds down, Bunn couldn't be more focused or happier. "I look forward to going to practice and working hard everyday," said Bunn. The Bobcats are currently 32-18 overall and 17-7 in the Southland Conference. They are tied for second in the standings with Lamar with two weeks left in the regular season. Texas State faces two tough opponents in the last weeks of competition, McNeese State and conference leader Texas-San Antonio, before heading to Natchitoches, La. for the SLC Baseball Tournament. "We feel like we are so close to grasping it all," said Bunn. "Everyone wants to win and everyone takes a loss hard." Bunn and the Bobcats have been stepping up their game as the weeks have progressed and he believes that this team has the ability to go the distance. "Guys have been showing up on off days to lift weights and getting to practice early to do some extra hitting," he said. "While it has been a hard season, at the same time it has been very rewarding." The Cedar Park native has had to confront several issues that fellow student-athletes have faced, injury and the constant balance between school and ball. "Being a student-athlete can be very difficult at times, everything seems to come or happen all at once," said Bunn. "But I get to play a kid's game and am lucky enough to be actively playing sports." Bunn began his career at Kansas State. He played as a true freshman, appearing on the mound in 15 games for the Wildcats. Bunn finished his freshman year with a 1-2 record and a 7.50 ERA. He was named to the Big 12 Academic Commissioner's Honor Roll before being sidelined his sophomore season due to an injury.
He decided to look else where to finish out his collegiate baseball career and decided to become a Bobcat. "There were a lot of factors that went into my decision to leave," said Bunn. "But when it came down to it, Kansas State just wasn't right for me." Bunn appeared in his first game in a Bobcat uniform in 2005 and has worked his way up ever since. In 2005, Bunn made 28 starts at the designated hitter position, appearing in 44 games. Last season, he played in 36 games and posted a .270 batting average. Bunn scored nine runs off of 17 hits and three doubles. He started in 17 games and had three RBIs on the year. Going into the series against McNeese State, Bunn has played in 50 games, starting in 47. His responsibility on this years' squad has grown, as he finds himself taking on a leadership role. "I try to lead by example, both on and off the field," said Bunn. "It is my job to help out the team in any way possible, which includes playing ridiculous defense and getting the job done at the plate." Bunn has blasted four home runs this season, scoring 31 runs off of 49 hits with 31 RBIs. He has been primarily starting in left field for the Bobcats but has recently been starting in center. While the outcome of his senior season is important, it is not the only memories Bunn will take away. "I have made friends that will last a lifetime, met people from all over the country and see a lot of places," said Bunn. "Being a part of this team has opened up a lot of doors for me and hopefully it will give me the opportunity to have a post season." Bunn will graduate in May with more then just a degree in marketing. "Being a part of Texas State has taught me how to deal with both failure and success," said Bunn. "It has also taught me a lot about myself and that I can deal with any adversity that is thrown my way." Bunn Essentials Which senior is the...
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