28 AUGUST 2022 By Cliff Summerhill The College Baseball World Series tournament is held every year from May through June. It hosts 64 United States baseball teams, concluding in the eight-team College World Series held in Omaha, Nebraska. Arcadia High class of 2018 graduate Bobby Peirce was on one of those teams this season, playing for Auburn University and realizing a lifelong dream as he stepped onto the field. Peirce and the Auburn Tigers made it all the way to the finals, playing for the NCAA Division I Men’s Baseball Championship 2022. “It was a huge accomplishment for our team to play, considering that in the pre- season rankings, we were predicted to be last in the SEC [Southeastern Conference],” Peirce shared. “No one would have thought we would have been playing in the College World Series at the beginning of the year, of course, besides us.” In high school, Bobby focused on baseball and golf, becoming a standout athlete in both sports. “Watching Bobby play has always been exciting, but when it comes to baseball it’s always been different,” Mom, Wendy, said. “His passion goes so far beyond the love of the game. He loves the rich history and wooden bats. If he could live at a batting cage and the field, he would!” After high school graduation, Peirce shifted his sights solely to baseball and began playing for South Mountain Community College’s team. Then, he was off to Auburn University in Alabama. “School is fun, and it’s great to meet so many people from many different places,” Peirce said. He will graduate next year with a bachelor’s degree in finance. Peirce shared that this is only the sixth time Auburn has participated in the College World Series, with their first win happening more than 25 years ago. Ultimately, the Tigers lost the Series to Arkansas and Ole Miss in the final, double- elimination brackets. “It was a great experience and one that I will never forget,” Peirce said. “Getting to play in front of a crowd of 25,000+ people and on the national stage is hard to beat.” The College World Series dates back to 1947, when the inaugural tournament was held in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1948, the game moved to Wichita, Kansas, where Yale’s baseball team participated with then-captain (and future president) George H.W. Bush. Since 1950, Omaha has been home to the College World Series, and it became a dream for Peirce to one day grace the field as a national baseball player. “The most exciting thing for me is just being in Omaha and playing there because I always grew up watching the College World Series, and it was an honor to get to play on the national stage,” Peirce said. “As parents it’s surreal to witness Bobby playing in the SEC for Auburn. The icing on the cake was seeing him with fans of all ages signing autographs. We can’t wait to see what his future holds; it will be great,” Wendy said. For this AHS alum, baseball is more than a game Peirce turned in a .284/.350/.562 slash line in 48 games. He was ranked second on the team in home runs with 10. PHOTO: WENDY PEIRCE/PEIRCE MEDIA Independent Living ■ Assisted Living ■ Memory Care Community 3233 E. Camelback Road Phoenix, AZ 85018 Information Center 2720 E. Camelback Road, Suite 280 Phoenix, AZ 85016 2720 E. Camelback Road, Suite 280 2720 E. Camelback Road, Suite 280 O F F I C E 480-573-3700 LIFE@ClarendaleArcadia.com ClarendaleArcadia.com 7-22 Luxury Lifestyle Set amid a backdrop of panoramic mountain views along the Camelback Corridor, Clarendale Arcadia Senior Residences place you at the center of it all. Imagine urban excitement indoors and out—like our second-level leisure deck with a pool and heated spa, custom cabana and fireplace under the stars. This innovative, unmatched community is opening soon! It’s where you want to be. C A L L 4 8 0 - 6 3 7 - 2 7 6 8 Arrange your personal experience and ask about the Founders Club with all the perks of membership when you join now.