Former State baseball player Matt Camp, who played for the team from 2003 to 2006, made it out to practice some with the baseball team on Thursday. Camp, drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2006, is hoping to move up and play with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies this year.

“It’s just good to come back and work out with the team and see how they’re doing, kind of get a little infield work for myself … You always pull for your past teammates,” he said.

Camp, who hopes to see the team play this weekend, is fourth in games played in school history, fifth in runs scored and fifth in hits. Coach Elliott Avent said people still remember the player Camp was.

“He was a playmaker. I think everybody can remember some of the special plays he made. I think it’s because of how hard he competed and how bad he wanted to win. He didn’t really worry about himself,” Avent said. “He just really competed so hard that he wound up making plays. He controlled the game very well, his emotions and his practice effort.”

Avent said he really enjoys seeing former players like Camp come back. Meanwhile, Camp said he misses playing with the Pack. `”Minor league ball [is] fun. You’ve got your friends, your teammates and stuff, but it’s nothing like it was here, the camaraderie. You live with the guys and you get to be best friends for four years, and you go your separate ways,” Camp said. “You stay in touch. I give [Ryan] Pond a call every once in a while. I talk to the guys when I come back, but it’s nothing like when you were here.”