G eorgia College junior Dominic Arienzo has been playing baseball since age four. It’s a skill that came natural to him. The Morgan County native plays baseball for Georgia College and the Macon Bacon—a Macon, Georgia, based wood-bat collegiate summer baseball team that plays in the Coastal Plain League. 

Arienzo chose to play for the Macon Bacon, so he could be closer to home during the summer. Last summer he played baseball in Boone, North Carolina.

“The level of competition I was going to be playing with the Bacon is very good,” he said. “I wanted to see this type of competition day-in and day-out.”

Before their season, the Macon Bacon coaches contacted Georgia College’s Head Baseball Coach, Nolan Belcher. He arranged for Arienzo to play in Macon.

“Dominic seemed like the type of player they were looking for to put on a temporary contract,” Belcher said. “He’s a talented, high-character young man.”

Arienzo plays mainly shortstop and sometimes middle infield with the Macon Bacon. When the team had its opening game, he couldn’t believe the size of the crowd, which was over 2,000 people.

“It was the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of,” Arienzo said. “The crowd keeps the game fun. And sometimes I get wrapped up in the competitiveness of it all.” 

Arienzo’s stats are quite impressive consisting of seven hits with two doubles, one home run and seven runs batted in (RBI). His first at-bat appearance as a Macon Bacon player was a two-run home run when he played in Lexington, South Carolina.

His teammates come from different backgrounds and states like Alabama, Florida, Minnesota, South Carolina and Washington.

“I’ve always found it easy to make friends while playing baseball, because I have so many things in common with the other players,” he said. “No matter where these players came from, we all get along because of our similarities and the love for the game.”

Playing for the Macon Bacon over the summer helps Arienzo’s Bobcat baseball career, where he plays shortstop and second base.

“I get to continue to improve myself while facing some good competition,” he said. “Since the Macon Bacon plays in the Coastal Plains League, there are many players who come from bigger schools. So, I get to see some competition I wouldn’t normally be exposed to.”

Playing this sport taught him some important life lessons.

“I learned how to communicate with professors if I am struggling, because I always communicate with my coach. So, I hold that same regard to my professors,” Arienzo said. “Baseball also taught me how to manage my time with school, lifts, practices and even my friends. It becomes tough, but time management is a very important skill to have.”

In addition, playing baseball taught Arienzo to be open and how to talk to people—something he can use in his future career.

“Coaches love when you are open and easy to talk to about things,” he said. “A big part of that is being low maintenance and highly productive.”

Arienzo also applies what he’s learned from playing baseball at Georgia College to the Macon Bacon.

“I used many baseball-related terms and mechanics that make me have a better summer playing baseball,” Arienzo said. “What I really took in was how to play hard with passion, because that’s what is taught at Georgia College.”