It’s easy to understand, difficult to obtain and is just one reason why slugging juniors Trey Collier, Justin Gregory, Zach Lynch and Dylan Sebek say they’re smacking the baseball at an alarming rate.
The goal is the elusive perfect batting average at that night’s game. Most nights, though, it’s reduced to the Trojan with the highest batting average.
The winner, or some nights winners, earns the prize of an evening’s worth of trash-talking privileges. It may not be much but it’s added fuel to the fire of a team that’s made a habit of run-ruling opponents.
The ninth-ranked Trojans (19-4) hope their offensive onslaught continues when they meet Edgewood (18-9) in a one-game Class 2A Region II quarterfinal playoff at 7:30 tonight.
“That little contest, it helps us get better,” Gregory said. “We try and do the little things and see who can do it best.”
Of course, to claim all things bragging rights-related and help the Trojans toward another victory requires going above and beyond the usual.
Collier, Gregory, Lynch and Sebek all boast batting averages of .419 or better and have for much of the season. They continue to drive in piles of runs. Yet they’ve all got the sense that even more practice could make them that much better.
They routinely stay late to take extra swings after practice - but before what’s turned into nightly team meals at area restaurants - and show up for hours on Sundays.
“We’re always up here, it seems like,” said Gregory, who has a team-best .443 batting average and five home runs and has driven in 27 runs.
The batting cages near Trojan Field are full at some point nearly every day. Collier, Gregory, Lynch, Sebek and their teammates take swing after swing because they’ve already seen how much better extra practice has made them.
“We practice real hard,” said Lynch, who boasts a .435 batting average and has scored 30 runs. “When we do stuff, we do it as hard as we can.”
The approach they take to the batter’s box is aggressive yet selective. Don’t swing at first-pitch curveballs but pounce on a fastball early in the count. And always find a way to work the count in your favor.
“Anytime you can get a hitter to understand the approach at the plate, it helps,” Troy coach Steve Sebesta said. “They’re all unselfish, they do what we ask and they really work hard to try to accomplish what we’re doing.”
Troy’s juniors executed that gameplan to perfection in the Trojans’ area-round win over Blooming Grove on Tuesday.
Collier, Gregory, Lynch and Sebek were big reasons why Troy scored seven runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 14-4, six-inning win. They were a combined 5-for-10 with six RBI and eight runs in helping the Trojans force Blooming Grove’s starter into 95 pitches in 3 2/3 innings.
And for the record, there was a tie for Tuesday’s contest winner. Both Gregory and Sebek were 2-for-3.
“We have a good approach when we go to the plate,” said Sebek, who has 29 RBI along with a .419 batting average.
Collier finished Tuesday going 1-for-3, a night that might leave most hitters satisfied. Instead, he left frustrated.
“That’s probably my worst game hitting-wise in a while,” said Collier, who has a .423 average, four homers and 23 runs. “So I stayed late the other day and I think that’ll help in this game coming up.”
It’s the kind of attitude the rest of the Trojans’ hard-hitting juniors share.
Average isn’t quite good enough, especially when you’re capable of launching one over the fence every time.
“I’d go 1-for-4 and be on base two times with walks but that’s not good enough,” Gregory said. “You want to be batting 1.000. You just want to go up there and do your best every time.”
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
