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Vol. LXXI, Issue 26
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Sunday, March 29, 2020
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SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | EIC@DAILY49ER.COM
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COVID-19 at the Beach By Madalyn Amato News Editor
L
ong Beach State officials announced Tuesday that two students have tested positive for COVID-19. “Two students are in self-isolation off campus, and those who may have come into close contact with them are being notified by health officials. In one case, the student has not been on campus for two weeks. In the second case, there was no opportunity for on-campus exposure according to public-health officials,” Kimberly Fodran, co-director of Student Health Services said.
The campus community had been unaffected up until this point, while Long Beach city now has 21 confirmed cases and one death relating to the virus. “While it was to be expected that The Beach family eventually would be affected by this pandemic, we were saddened to hear this news. It is a sober signal that the impact of this illness will be felt widely,” Fodran said. “It is critically important that everyone adheres to all the social distancing measures and practice good public health hygiene, including washing hands as frequently as possible.” Fodran said that one student had not been on campus for two weeks and the other presented little to no exposure risk for the campus.
News Editor Madalyn Amato news@daily49er.com Arts & Life Editor Paula Kiley arts@daily49er.com Opinions Editor Perry Continente opinions@daily49er.com Sports Editor Mark Lindahl sports@daily49er.com Design Editor Alejandro Vazquez design@daily49er.com Advertising Manager Steven Zuniga advertising@daily49er.com Business Manager Hannah Getahun business@daily49er.com Special Projects Editor Hannah Getahun Photo Editor Ryan Guitare Social Media Editor Brenna Enos Podcast Editor Manuel Valladares Podcast Editor Julia Terbeche Webmaster Samantha Hangsan
Shark Bites By Alejandro Vazquez
Shark Bites is a CSULB inspired crossword puzzle that contains clues from the recently news stories published by the Daily Forty-Niner both in print and online.
Arts and Life Assistant Paris Barraza Assistant Sports Editor Assistant Social Media Editor
Ralston Dacanay Cristal Gomez
Distribution Manager Rachel Barnes Distribution Assistant Alejandro Vazquez Design Adviser Gary Metzker Content Adviser Barbara Kinglsey-Wilson Advertising and Business Jennifer Newton Adviser Letters to Editor editor@daily49er.com Corrections correction@daily49er.com Story Ideas tips@daily49er.com Job Inquiries jobs@daily49er.com
Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.
Across 4. Monday, March 23, was the first day of ________ teaching. 7. Information and Technology officials warned Zoom users of this potential cybersecurity threats associated with the video conference application. 8. Mayor Robert Garcia announced Wednesday that ______ North Long Beach firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19.
Down 1. Campus officials announced that until further notice, _____ has been postponed. 2. Parking and Transportation officials announced Tuesday that refund amounts for ________ permits have been finalized. 3. The _____ Shops human resources department notified 403 of its employees that they would be laid off as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 5. Long Beach State officials announced Tuesday that ____ students have tested positive for COVID-19. 6. Senior guard Jordan _____ was one of the BIg West conference’s 27 players in men’s hoops to have his collegiate career cut short unexpectedly.
Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Daily FortyNiner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.
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NEWS 3
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM
RACHEL BARNES | Daily Forty-Niner
Usually busy with vendors selling products and students walking to class, the bookstore and the plaza are empty due to face-to-face classes moving online.
Student-workers face unemployment in wake of pandemic As the school continues to deal with the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the 49er Shops lay off over400 employees.
By Manuel Valladares & Eric Bailey Staff Writers
P
reparing the meals for thousands of students is not easy, but for Larissa Simmons, a fourthyear healthcare administration major, it’s a routine. Working as the Parkside College Dining Hall shift leader, this routine for Simmons has been a part of her college-life for the past three years. However, it came to an end on March 22. “We were all given a message on our scheduling app Monday saying that our last meal served will be March 22 Sunday dinner,” Simmons said. “By then, lots of workers went home, but given the circumstances, we cut many hours and many shifts starting Tuesday.” She added that 49er Shops employees were notified that they will continue to be paid until March 29. In response to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, on-campus businesses at Long Beach State have begun adjusting their business models accordingly. In the process, many student employees have been affected by these abrupt changes. Simmons is one of the many student workers affected by the campus closure due to the global pandemic caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. Since the decision was made March 17 to move to “alternative teaching” methods through the rest of the semester, many students who work on campus will find themselves without work. With businesses practicing social distancing techniques and re-
ducing the number of employees, Simmons also saw her internship with Kaiser Permanente cut short, as well. “A lot of us HCA majors interning at hospitals were told we can’t come back,” Simmons said. “Most of us were short of our 120-hour requirement, so we now have to do alternate assignments.” Students aren’t the only ones on campus feeling the effects of COVID-19. “49er Shops sent us an email saying those over [age] 65 shouldn’t be on campus anymore but would continue to be paid,” Simmons said. “So two of our chefs had to leave starting Tuesday.” Rosa Hernandez, director of human resources for the 49er Shops, notified its student employees that their pay would be unchanged from their regularly scheduled shifts. “We appreciate your patience as we navigate through this changing environment,” Hernandez said. “Please continue to work with your managers for department-specific questions.” The Starbucks located in the University Dining Plaza has closed and workers said they have yet to get more details as to what’s next for the establishment. In the University Library Starbucks has closed until the end of the spring semester as a result of the COVID-19 concerns. This comes after the Student Recreation and Wellness Center also decided to close for the remainder of the semester. Concerns over COVID-19’s impact has led to not only a decrease in customers but now a reduction of hours for workers. Kimberly Ramos, a fourth-year liberal studies major and Starbucks barista at the UDP, has seen
the impact the virus has had on student employees as hours began to reduce. “There have already been a few issues with us limiting hours,” Ramos said. “We have bills to pay and with our hours being cut some of us won’t be making enough to pay those bills or have a little extra money to sit on.” Gwendolyne Castro, the 49er Shops’ human resources manager, said that she could not comment on these adjustments at this time, but said: “it’s an ongoing process.”
“I think it’s embarrassing how they delivered obviously upsetting information so unprofessionally and with such excess.” - Isabella Arnold First-year Public Relations major
With the managers still finalizing their adjustments, it does create some level of concern for all the student employees involved. Isabella Arnold, a fellow UDP Starbucks barista, has needed to adjust her living situation as a result of the coronavirus. “Personally, I live in the dorms but I went home and [currently am] not working until further notice … [which] they have been really accommodating [with],” Arnold said. As some workers head home to live with their parents, others are still looking to sustain themselves through the income they earn at school. Scarce hours and the need to pay bills are what Arnold considered “one of the most frustrating parts” about the current process. To assist in the current transition, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that those who are now unemployed or have lost significant hours due to the impacts of COVID-19 are able to file for an unemployment insurance claim. Newsom also noted that the one week waiting period to receive this insurance would be removed. Employees who have reduced hours and are also eligible for the program will receive benefits ranging between $40 to $450 per week, possibly giving student workers some assistance as they try to stay afloat. For those who are still able to get a stable amount of hours, the issue of contracting the coronavirus still lingers and leaves student employees at risk. “One of my main concerns I have about my coworkers and myself is our safety,” Ramos said. “The midst of this pandemic has us questioning what is more important, our jobs or our health?”
The 49er Shops human resources department notified 403 of its employees March 23 that they would be laid off as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Jobs varied from entry-levels such as a barista, all the way up to store managers. Employees were notified all at once through the course of four repetitive emails, all of which disclosed the names of those who were being laid off. This left many student employees like first-year public relations student Isabella Arnold upset with just how “unprofessional” the process was. “I think it’s embarrassing how they delivered obviously upsetting information so unprofessionally and with such excess,” Arnold said. “[It’s] borderline comedic.” In its notice, the HR team noted that the changes the campus has made in response to COVID-19 led to the shops to only operate “essential functions of the organization.” “The change in campus direction has significantly affected our operations and our ability to achieve economic and commercial success, forcing us to close the majority of our retail... until the unforeseen future,” the email read. This email comes after a prior message from 49er Shops director of human resources, Rosa Hernandez, assured student employees last week that they would be paid up until March 29. In the time between both emails, many student employees, supervisors and managers had received no updates from shop management. All employees were guaranteed up to this point was their regular, weekly pay.
4 NEWS
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM
Long Beach State dorms clear out As the COVID-19 threat continues to grow, dormitory students were given an ultimatum. For many, returning home is not as easy as a yes or no decision.
By Paris Barraza, Hannah Getahun and Rachel Barnes Staff Writers
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lan Armes, father of freshman music major Brayden Armes, knew that moveout day at the Long Beach State dormitories would come sooner than later. “We have family on the East Coast where some other colleges had to move out even more dramatically and quicker it seemed like,” Alan said. “Maybe because of that, we had this feeling that it would happen here too. We were bracing ourselves for it to happen a couple days ahead.” Because Armes’ family hailed from North Hollywood, he was able to pick his son up the day after CSULB sent out an email Monday night encouraging dormitory residents to move out by March 27. According to the email, if students had no alternative housing options, they could file a ‘Move Out Form’ to be relocated to another residence hall. Juliana Ramirez, a first-year political science major, didn’t think she’d be leaving the dormitories so soon. “I just left, but I took one small little bag with some clothes because I thought ‘Oh I’m coming back in two weeks, three weeks’ and then I got this email so I have to move out everything,” Ramirez said. “I only took the necessary
stuff like my clothes, the stuff that would expire, my books, but now it’s everything like my bedding, sheets.” Ramirez’s father came to help her pack her belongings. “I don’t think it was enough [information],” Ramirez said. “I was so confused I emailed my friends, the RA just to get confirmation because I feel like that one email didn’t give enough reason.” Anthony Cameron, a third-year mechanical engineering major, was on his way to the housing services office to discuss if him moving out would affect his financial aid. “I don’t think anybody is communicating with anybody,” Cameron said. Cameron, who works in Long Beach and is a tutor, said he was aggravated by the situation. Mitchell Barron, a first-year marketing information major, lives just 40 minutes away from campus, so he said the move will be an easy one. However, he said that he and the rest of the students in his building just started getting close so he’s sad to have to leave it behind. “I’m still going to live here for the last few days, that’s what all of [my friends] are doing,” Barron said. “We’re going to throw a little get-together and say our goodbyes.” Mike Jiminez said he went on a walk shortly after receiving the email last night. The third-year political science major said he wished Housing and Residential Life had communicated more with the remaining students. “I can’t really go home,” Jiminez
RACHEL BARNES | Daily Forty-Niner
Student Nathan Wakefield packs his belongings into his car as he gets ready to move out of his dorm at Parkside College Dormitory.
said. “Part of the reason is my mom is immunocompromised, and I live with my grandmother who’s over 80 [years old].” Students like Jiminez can file a ‘Move Out Form’ by March 20, where they can state their need to remain in the residence halls. “We are going to be very flexible in approving requests but want to make sure that we will have the ability to fully service those students who stay if we would have a reduction of staffing in the future,” said Corry Colonna, executive director of housing and residential life. The closure of campus amenities like the Student Recreation and Wellness Center and the adjusted hours of operation for places like the University Library prompted some to return home and bring their friends with them, including third-year criminal justice major Haley Meyers. “I’m taking my friend who’s international,” Myers said as she and three other students packed their bags into her car. Since the announcement on March 11 that in-person classes
were moved to alternative teaching methods, many students living in dorms at CSULB have already returned home. Angelica Quinoñez, a second-year studio art major, made that decision. “I would be exposed to more people if I was in the dorms,” Quinoñez said. “I think they’d still be going out and think it’s safe to be going to restaurants or clubs.” In order to track the number of students that remained in the residence halls, Housing and Residential Life counted the number of students eating in the dining halls. According to Colonna, there were about 1,300 students in the dining halls on Thursday, March 12. There were 1,050 students on Sunday, March 15. Karen Estrada, a third-year public relations major, also chose to return home after the initial cancellation of in-person classes. She said she felt safer there if new cases of coronavirus continued. The decision came with a cost. “It’s hard for me to do homework at home especially because I have a little sister,” Estrada said.
“She’s 7 [years old]. I just don’t have the right mindset for homework right now. I know for sure my grades are going to drop.” Now, Estrada plans to return to her dorm tomorrow to move out the rest of her belongings. For students unable to do so, Colonna said, via email, that Housing and Residential Life posted a FAQ page that will advise students on what to do. According to a Residential Hall Association post on Instagram, some dining halls will begin closing this week and next. Parkside Dining will close March 22 after dinner service, Beachside will close March 27 after lunch service and Hillside Dining will remain open. Starting March 17, the dining halls will be opened for limited hours. “Truly several times a day we get new direction from our government officials, local, county, and national,” Colonna said. “Our goal is to get good information out rather than have to send several communications with corrections.”
“I was so confused I emailed my friends, the RA just to get confirmation because I feel like that one email didn’t give enough reason.” - Juliana Ramirez First-year Political Science major
NEWS 5
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM
March 24 @ 3:15 p.m. Parking and Transportation officials announced Tuesday that refund amounts for parking permits have been finalized. Students who purchased a spring 2020 permit will receive $75 and those who had a 2019-2020 academic year permit will receive $77. Residential students, both on-campus and Beachside, who had permits will receive $87. Motorcycle permit holders will receive $20. Permits for the community, LifeFit, SRWC and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) are eligible for a prorated refund, however, the department is still calculating the amount. Employees will not be receiving refunds for their parking permits. Los Coyotes shuttle holders will receive a full refund of $20. Long Beach transit and LA Metro passes are not eligible for a refund.
March 24 2:31 p.m. Mayor Robert Garcia announced Tuesday that all residents are now to stay home unless they are adhering to social distancing practices and fall under essential regulations.
March 24 @ 6:00 p.m. The Long Beach City Council unanimously passed a moratorium on evictions related to nonpayment of rent due to COVID-19 Tuesday. The moratorium applies to all nonpayment evictions from March 4 to May 31, with the option for councilmembers to extend the period if necessary.
March 25 @ 3:02 p.m. Garcia announced Wednesday that eight North Long Beach firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19.
March 27 @ 3:06 p.m. Garcia on Friday confirmed that a Long Beach Police Department officer tested positive for COVID-19.
March 28 @ 10:05 a.m. Garcia announced a total closure of all city beaches, bike paths near the beaches and parking lots adjacent to the beaches until May 1.
Long Beach
CSULB
March 24 @ 8:55 a.m. Long Beach State officials announced Tuesday that two students tested positive for COVID-19.
By Madalyn Amato, News Editor
March 23 @ 11:30 a.m. As Long Beach State makes the official transition to alternative teaching methods, university officials sent messages of encouragement and guidance.
COVID-19 updates at CSULB and Long Beach
Illustration by Emma DiMaggio
6 OPINIONS
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINION@DAILY49ER.COM
The coronavirus brings out the best in people By Perry Continente Opinions Editor
O
ne of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten is that you don’t really know someone until you’ve seen them in crisis. That could be the death of a loved one, financial hardship or getting very sick. The idea is that most people can be kind when they are comfortable and happy, but when their life is falling down around them how do they react? Although the coronavirus crisis has had moments where we’ve seen some nastiness in people, (if you’re buying pallets of TP you’re acting like a spoiled brat,) by and large people have responded with empathy. It’s easy to feel down about humanity. Things have been really rough these last few years. It seems like every day we hear about another school shooting or hate crime, another instance of directionless
malignant malice thrown on the pile. But during this crisis, even with the lockdown and the fear, with almost everyone having their lives, their plans and their routines upended, people are being good to each other. Despite this panic, the majority of people I’ve seen and interacted with since we started social distancing have been kind and caring. There is a supportive camaraderie, I’ve had perfect strangers ask me how I’m doing as I walk by and actually mean it. Stories of people holding impromptu concerts on their balconies to raise spirits or generous tips being left to food service workers who could be severely impacted by their restaurant’s closures are popping up every day. These actions raise from lighthearted pick-me-ups to generous acts that will dramatically improve the lives of complete strangers. It is heartening to know that although the chaos that defines so much of our lives today, that many people haven’t lost their decency.
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Many of these people are suffering just like the people they are going out of their way to help. They are being their best at a time where it would be easy, even understandable, to be at their worst. Although most are handling this well some reactions that border on apocalyptic. Because many peoples’ frame of reference for a major crisis is dominated by “Mad Max” and “The Walking Dead,” people have begun stockpiling guns and ammo. Presumably to protect their dragon’s hoard of toilet paper from bandits? I guess? This disease isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And with Trump planning to end social distancing to boost the economy, the pain it causes could get much worse. But I think that we will blunt the worst of it if the outpourings of kindness and humanity we have seen so far are anything to go off of. It’s true that these are difficult times. We are facing a pandemic and quarantine unlike anything in recent memory. But given our response, I could hardly be prouder of my fellow human beings.
SPORTS 7
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | SPORTS@DAILY49ER.COM
AUSTIN BRUMBLAY | Daily Forty-Niner
The Beach’s season ended early when the Big West Conference, on March 13, canceled all spring competition due to threats of coronavirus.
STAYING OPTIMISTIC AFTER POSTSEASON Although the Beach’s unconventional end to the season was not on their own terms, the program remains motivated to make a strong return. By Ralston Dacanay Assistant Sports Editor
F
ollowing one of the most unprecedented weeks in the sports world, the Long Beach State men’s basketball team has embraced maturity, responsibility and unity in response to the abrupt end of its season due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the potential risks involved with the spread of COVID-19, the Beach’s coaches and players agreed that prioritizing the health and safety of those, both in and out of their program, was the right move. After going through its 9 a.m. shootaround at the Honda Center, it was just five minutes before Long Beach’s film session when the team realized its time together on the court this season had expired as the Big West tournament was canceled. The team’s biggest takeaway—the vulnerability of the opportunities in life. “It was disappointing,” head coach Dan Monson said. “We started the year as a new group with 11 new guys. We knew it was going to be a learning experience and we were sitting there
pointed towards playing our best basketball in March. Was it good enough? We don’t know, and we’ll never know. We felt like we were confident going into that game. We felt like we were going to play really well. It was taken away, but as I told my players, that’s life. Nothing’s guaranteed. Tomorrow’s not guaranteed.” Despite scratching its way into the tournament as its lowest seed, Long Beach was in no shortage of morale heading into its quarterfinal matchup against No. 1 seed UC Irvine. In an effort to keep their focus on the Anteaters, the Beach decided to not discuss the possibility of the tournament being shut down until it was officially announced. “We felt we had a really good chance at winning that whole thing,” junior guard Drew Cobb said. “It’s all of our dream, as college players, to be able to get to that moment and win that tournament at the Honda Center so we could go on to play in the big March Madness tournament that we’ve all been watching since we were kids. It hurt all of us, coaches included, just because we know how much we put into this whole year from the beginning.” Senior guard Jordan Griffin was one of the conference’s 27 players in men’s hoops to have his collegiate career cut
short unexpectedly. Both Monson and Cobb said they wish they could’ve given Long Beach’s lone senior a better send-off. “I really felt for our own senior Griff,” Cobb said. “He was coming into his stride at the perfect time. There couldn’t be a more perfect time. He started playing extremely well, he was seeing a lot more minutes. I just felt for him, just being that Fullerton was his last game and we weren’t able to send him out with a ‘W.’” For Long Beach, moving forward as a program has been easier than anticipated. Heading into the team’s last film session to discuss the season’s end, Monson said he thought addressing his team was going to be challenging, but quickly realized it wasn’t. This situation was something bigger than basketball. “I talked to them about Josh Morgan’s dad,” Monson said, “who has a heart condition and a compromised immune system and coach [Myke] Scholl, who has a new kidney. I said, ‘All of us will probably be fine, but if we save Josh’s dad’s life by not having fans there, if we save coach’s life by not having this tournament, it’s all worth it if we saved a life.’” Right after, the coaching staff showed the team a film of what “was
going to happen”—a highlight tape of every basket the Beach scored against Irvine in the last two seasons. With an emphasis to end everything on as positive a note as possible, Monson said the reel closed with junior forward Jordan Robert’s tomahawk dunk at UCI in February to the delight of the players. For the time being, Long Beach’s returning players are suggested to follow all self-quarantine recommendations, exercising and recovering privately. “Next season is a long ways off,” Monson said, “and this is the time of the year that we always give players social distancing. We always say, ‘Hey, get away from each other. Get away from the coaches.’ We’ve had six months where we’re almost 24/7 with each other. We need to get that stinger back into ourselves and our program.” Unless the virus lasts through July, the program doesn’t expect its preparation for next year to change. “Starting in Costa Rica with the new guys that we had,” Cobb said, “adding all these new people on the team, our chemistry, all the battles we fought, the ups, the downs, the preseason we had. It hurt us for real, but going forward I think it’s going to be good for us, keeping that fire lit, remembering that not every game is promised.”
8 SPORTS
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | SPORTS@DAILY49ER.COM
DIRTBAGS SENIORS STRUGGLING IN A WORLD WITHOUT BASEBALL Dirtbags veterans Jacob Hughey and Calvin Estrada feel the social effects of the response to the coronavirus pandemic. By Robert Hollar Staff Writer
W
hile the coronavirus pandemic receives global attention, the story of its effect on athletes nearing the end of their careers, such as Dirtbags redshirt senior outfielder Calvin Estrada and senior first baseman Jacob Hughey, have largely been untold. “We have a lot of tough decisions to make,” Hughey said. Hughey and Estrada have both served as locker-room leaders throughout their Long Beach State tenure, but had their final season cut short by the NCAA and Big West’s response to the pandemic. The NCAA has promised an eligibility extension to all Division 1 college athletes, but the decision to wait almost another whole calendar year to continue playing collegiate baseball may not be the best choice for either prospect. Both Hughey and Estrada will graduate academically this spring. “We would have to go for a masters program [to maintain NCAA eligibility],” Hughey said. “Or the NCAA would have to say ‘OK, these guys that graduated last year, we’re gonna allow them to play without taking classes.” As of now, the NCAA has made no such announcement. Draft implications also factor in the decision about whether to return to the Dirtbags. With a 6-foot-1-inch, 225lbframe, a naturally powerful swing and one of the best outfield arms in the Big West, Estrada has the talent to get drafted into the MLB, but had an underwhelming 2019 season. He turned up the heat in 2020, batting .290 with a team-leading six doubles, but with the season suddenly cut short, his improvements may receive less attention from MLB teams. “There’s definitely a bunch of decisions that my family and I have to make regarding school and the draft,” Estrada said. “It’s definitely a possibility for me to come back, but anything could change at this point.”
CAIN HERNANDEZ | Daily Forty-Niner
Dirtbag’s starting pitcher Adam Seminaris delivers a to a Golden Bear batter. Seminaris finished with 6 IP, 3 H, 11 Ks and 0 BBs against Cal Feb. 14 at Blair Field.
Hughey’s situation is the opposite of Estrada’s. He led the team in 2019 batting .324 with 26 RBIs, but hit under .100 in 2020. With the 2020 season suddenly over, Hughey lost his chance to prove to scouts that his 2019 performance was not a fluke by bouncing back in the stretch run of this season. “We didn’t get a chance to show our full potential,” Hughey said. “Aside from school and sports, the sudden cancellation of the season brings mental struggles for the veterans as well.” “We feel so bored,” Hughey added. “We just don’t know what to do,” Estrada and Hughey are struggling with the impact of having their identity as Division 1 baseball players stripped away from them. Estrada’s defensive position in the outfield commands raw strength, so he is attempting to continue his workout regimen in the absence of his normal baseball routine. “I’ve been running, trying to stay in shape,” Estrada said. “That’s pretty much all you can do.” But the players can only work out so much, and boredom is affecting both of them. Estrada has been playing “Call of Duty,” to fill the void for the sport he has devoted his time to for most of his life. Hughey also has struggled to fill his time in a world without college baseball. He went fishing with teammate redshirt junior RHP Matt Fields to try to clear his mind, something which has been difficult recently. “I’m just trying to stay busy and not let myself be staring at the wall,” Hughey said. Estrada, Hughey and the rest of the Dirtbags are mired in a world of uncertainty and a sense of emptiness, something that simple activities like enjoying the bond with teammates helps alleviate. However, the Dirtbags seniors might be hanging out with teammates for the last time, unsure if they’ll be back next year to suit up next to them. “Everybody just left,” Estrada said. “Everybody went home.”