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ULM’s Bell Rings Up Single-Season Home Run Record

ULM’s Bell Rings Up Single-Season Home Run Record

Baseball Jun 01
By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist

MONROE, La. – We'll get to Chad Bell's ULM single-season home run record momentarily. 

But first, understand that the senior from Fort Collins, Colorado, takes more pride in ULM baseball returning to the postseason for the first time in five years. His offensive heroics were meaningful and timely as ULM won its first three conference tournament games since 1995 when the program was in the Southland Conference. 
        
"I've been here for three years," said while making the 17-hour drive home to Colorado from Monroe, Louisiana. "We weren't very close to the tournament my sophomore year. Last year, we missed it by a game. It basically came down to the last game of the year. It was definitely big in my book and Coach Fed, that's what he was really pushing for, to get everybody a taste of what it's like to play in the conference tournament. It was a big success to be able to play on that stage at the end of the year." 

Bell finished with an offensive flurry that pushed the Warhawks into Sun Belt Conference Tournament for the first time since 2014. He hit safely in 23 of his final 24 games, then hit 7-for-21 (.333) in five games in the Sun Belt Tournament, including a double and three home runs. Bell drove in 11 runs while scoring six times on his way to All-Tournament honors.  

"I thought his approach to hitting was tremendous," ULM coach Michael Federico said. "His ability to hit the ball with power to the backside of the field was his strength. Look at all the great hitters in baseball and the guys who can hit with power to the backside, that's why they become good hitters. That's what Chad Bell was able to do."

The final tally was impressive as Bell established the ULM record of 21 home runs in a single season, passing Corey Taylor's 19 in 1998. 

"I didn't expect to get quite that high, Bell said. "My goal at the beginning of the year was 15. But then I got in that groove and they kept coming. I kept feeling comfortable at the plate. I'm definitely happy with the season I had." 

Bell's 159 total bases were second most in school history, behind only Ben Soignier, and he's tied for fourth on the single-season charts at ULM with 61 RBIs. Bell hit .333 with 77 hits in 231 at-bats with 15 doubles to earn All-Sun Belt First-Team honors at third base.    

"First time I ever watched him hit BP, I was like 'Yep, he's going to be a good hitter,'" Federico said. "I told people at the beginning of the year that Chad Bell had the potential to not only be an All-Conference player in the Sun Belt, but he had a chance to be the Player of the Year if we had a good year. Let's face it – if we weren't a 10th-place team, he ranks numbers wise as one of the top players. And he was on the ballot." 

Bell played at Western Nevada College his freshmen season but needed a new college home when the program discontinued intercollegiate athletics. Bell was playing summer baseball in Oregon with the Medford Rogues with former ULM outfielder Johnny DeLaCruz where he first learned about the Warhawks. When former ULM coach Bruce Peddie came out to watch DeLaCruz, he liked what he saw from Bell too. That led to a visit to Monroe and a chance to join the ULM baseball team.  

"At first, it was a little bit of a culture shock, but once I got used to it, I really liked it," Bell said. "The Southern hospitality is a real thing, that's for sure. The town itself, I liked. I liked the smaller feeling of it. With ULM, I liked how it was a smaller university. Everybody liked everybody and everyone got along. You could really just focus on being a student-athlete and focus on academics along with being a baseball player."

Bell entered his senior season with 11 home runs in 108 career games at ULM but found his power stroke by becoming more selective at the plate. 

"I've always felt like my swing has been there," Bell said. "The part of my game that was lacking was sticking to an approach. Last year, I would chase out of the zone a little bit. This year, I focused on attacking pitches in the zone. That led to my success this year."

ULM also put more productive hitters around him with a solid recruiting class, forcing opposing pitchers to deal with Bell. 

"Having Trent Tingelstad in front of me and Andrew Beesley behind me, along with Ryan Humeniuk after me a couple more spots down definitely helped," he said.

Bell was actually robbed of two home runs that would have pushed his total to 23.        

"His home run at LSU (against Army) was overturned and he hit a speaker at Pensacola that the umpire said didn't get out," Federico said. "He really should have had 23 when it was all said and done."

Said Bell with a laugh: "They both went out, that's for sure. But the way I look at it, one was a double and one was a triple. That helped those categories a little more."

Taylor retained his spot as ULM's career home run king with 51 while Bell reached No. 5 on the list with 32. Also ahead of him are Terry Mathews (41), Soignier (39) and Frank Scelfo (36). 

Bell's power numbers should get him a look from Major League Baseball, which holds its annual draft June 3-5, 2019. 

"He'll be drafted next week," Federico said. "I don't know where or anything like that, but he's earned his stripes with that. There are a lot of people who really like him. Let's face it, guys up there love power and he can do it. He can play multiple positions. He'll be a good asset to an organization."

Bell's versatility should help him as well. 

"He played third, second and first for us," Federico said. "I think he could probably play left field as well. He'll definitely get a chance."

Back home in Colorado, Bell said he'll keep a watchful eye on the draft. 

"It's always been my dream to play professional baseball," Bell said. "Knowing that I have the opportunity to hear my name called next week is like being a kid on Christmas Day. You don't know what's going to happen or who's going to call you or if that call is ever going to come. But I'm definitely excited to see what happens."
 
 
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