“I pray while pitching to keep my mind straight,” said 23-year-old Russ Pullen, “because it’s pretty intense and competitive out there. Pitching is an up and down thing. It’s important to keep Christ as the centerpoint.”

Pullen, a longtime PCA member and recent graduate of Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa, Ga., recorded a save to lead his team to victory in the NCCAA Division II National Championship Tournament in Cincinnati this May. He also won the MVP award and the pitcher of the year award for the league.

“I was overwhelmed by it all,” said Pullen, a history major now looking for a high school teaching and coaching job. “People came up and said they were impressed how I handled myself—it was humbling. Only God could have worked it out that way.”

A Mighty Foe

The Toccoa Falls Eagles faced a fierce opponent in the World Series—the Southeastern Fire out of Lakeland, Fla., which had won 15 consecutive national tournament games and the national championship the last four years.

“It was a David and Goliath kind of thing,” said Sybil Pullen, Russ’ mother.

Russ agreed. “They had a ridiculous winning streak, but the thing about baseball is that it’s an unpredictable game. Anybody can win on a [given day.] That makes it rewarding, but also humbling.”

In fact, according to Pullen, the Fire’s team was stronger overall. “Man to man they were a better team. We didn’t have as much talent, but I think we were successful because each player contributed so much. [Our players] were recruited as much for their character as their skills. They were at Toccoa for the right reasons—to grow spiritually and get a good education.”

“Our guys just came together and played incredibly well,” said Justin Pollock, who coached the Toccoa men’s baseball team to victory. “We had a group that really got along and loved each other and understood how Ephesians 4 applied to our baseball team.”

And Russ Pullen provided critical leadership, according to Pollock. “Russ was unquestionably one of the leaders on our team. His competitiveness and heart are what separated him from others—he performed his best in tough situations.”

Thrilling Play

The Toccoa Falls Eagles entered the national tournament as the sixth seed in an eight-team field. They knew they had a tough schedule, and the weather complicated matters further. A line of thunderstorms wrecked the tournament schedule. The Eagles ended up playing five games in three days, three of those games on the final day of the tournament.

“We played from noon to 11 p.m.,” said Pullen. “By late afternoon we were hot and our energy level was getting low.”