Many athletes—both those currently on campus and from generations past—call and claim Oklahoma Christian University as their home, even after they have moved on to something “greater.”
The Oklahoma Christian baseball program currently has two former athletes in the professional ranks: Cale Coshow and Alex Polston.
Cale Coshow, pitched for Oklahoma Christian the 2012-13 season before he was drafted in the thirteenth round by the New York Yankees in June 2013. Cashew is a right-handed pitcher currently playing for the Yankees Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
The 26-year-old holds a career 3.64 earned run average and has 364 total strikeouts. Coshow has improved both the command of his slider and fastball and was able to stay healthy throughout the majority of the season.
“My number one expectation is to make my MLB debut next season,” Coshow said. “That’s been my goal since day one, and I feel like it’s closer to me now more than ever.”
Coshow said he feels the support of the Oklahoma Christian community on a regular basis.
“The saying, ‘OC is home,’ is kind of a joke, but in actuality it’s very true because OC is filled with people who love God and love others,” Coshow said. “It’s so nice knowing how many people support me in this close-knit OC community.”
The 6’5” pitcher hopes to report to the big club’s spring training, which will pick up action mid-February.
Similar to Coshow, Alex Polston, a shortstop and utility player, took an unconventional route toward becoming a professional athlete.
The 2016 Oklahoma Christian graduate played at Seminole State College before transferring to the NCAA DI program at Auburn University. After a year there, he made his way to Edmond.
Polston currently plays for the Cleburne Railroaders, an independent team in the American Association, and said his passion for baseball has carried him throughout his collegiate and professional career.
“The love for the game sets me apart,” Polston said. “I play with a lot of heart. I dedicated a lot of time to be the best me and really focused on what I could control.”
Polston said he and the rest of the Railroaders have set the bar high for the 2019 season. Their primary goal is to win the American Association championship for the first time since 1906.
Polston, on his third university transfer, found his home at Oklahoma Christian, and like Coshow, was and is highly motivated to compete on the baseball field.
“OC helped me understand everyone’s road to the league is different,” Polston said. “Be the best you and dedicate your time to getting better with your game and yourself.”
Their collective paths orchestrate a sense of pride for those associated to Oklahoma Christian sports as a whole.
“So many OC greats have walked the same campus and made something out of their time at OC,” Coshow said. “I was just blessed with this opportunity to fulfill my lifelong dream of playing professional baseball.”
With the end of the 2018 regular season right around the corner, this offseason marks a pivotal time in both players’ careers. Both Coshow and Polston will return in the spring to continue their professional careers.
“Just because you’re not at a super division one powerhouse doesn’t mean you can’t obtain your goal and play professionally,” Coshow said. “Always strive to be the hardest worker in the room no matter what, even if someone doubts you. You will prove them wrong every time.”
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