DBU REPORT 32 PATRIOTATHLETICS The road to reach Major League Baseball through the Minor League system can be a journey filled with high aspirations and moments of great promise, as well as disappointment and the humbling reality of dreams that may never be reached. For two DBU Baseball legends in Jason Krizan and Darick Hall, those dreams came to fruition when both Krizan and Hall broke into the Big Leagues in 2022. Krizan, who was a two-time All-American (2009 & 2011) during his four-year career at DBU and is the program’s all-time hits leader, made his Major League debut on April 29. Following an 11-year career in the Minors that began when he was an eighth-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers in 2011, Krizan started in left field for the San Francisco Giants in their game against the Washington Nationals at Oracle Park in San Francisco. Prior to his first game in the Big Leagues, Krizan visited with reporters and was reminded of the words his dad told him when he was drafted in 2011. “Play until somebody doesn’t give you a uniform anymore. It’s awesome advice because here I am now,” Krizan told reporters from the Giants’ dugout before game time. “It would’ve been easy to, you know, just give up. But I’m glad I’m still here, I’m thankful for the grind. My road to the big leagues wasn’t normal, but I’m thankful for my journey.” For Darick Hall, an All-American in his lone season at DBU and the Missouri Valley Conference’s Joe Carter Player of the Year in 2016, his trek to the Majors culminated with the team that selected him in the 14th round of the Major League Draft, the Philadelphia Phillies, in 2016. Following six seasons in the Phillies’ farm system, Hall received a call of the lifetime on June 29. The six-foot four, 232-pound slugger, was leading the Triple-A International League in home runs (20), RBI (67), and total bases (153) when he earned the promotion to the Big League club. Two days after he made his MLB debut at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hall delivered a memorable performance, hitting a pair of home runs to record his first hits as a Big Leaguer. Hall’s two-home-run performance helped lift the Phillies to a 14-4 win over the Atlanta Braves as Hall finished the night going 2-5 with three RBI. “I just wanted to get up there and get some good swings off,” Hall, who couldn’t help but contain his smile, remarked following the game. “I tried not to let the nerves get to me too much. I was able to relax a little bit more today, so that really helped.” With their dreams becoming a reality in 2022, the pair of Patriot Baseball icons become the 20th and 21st players from DBU to reach the Major Leagues. The legendary careers of Jason Krizan and Darick Hall will always be etched in the fabric of Patriot Baseball history, and now the name “Big Leaguer” will forever be connected to the two DBU legends. DBU BASEBALL LEGENDS KRIZAN AND HALL BROKE INTO THE BIG LEAGUES IN 2022
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