Ace Performer
College Park’s Trahan is beast on the mound
Mackenzie Malatesta
Dec 19, 2017, 9:03 am
Originally appeared on Vype.com.
Stealing the headlines at College Park has been super-hooper Quentin Grimes, who is committed to Kansas. As the basketball season moves into baseball, the Cavs have another star in Luke Trahan. The 6-foot-3 pitcher is one of the top aces in the city and makes College Park a tough opponent in the competitive District 12-6A.
VYPE caught up with Trahan before the season. Getting the inside scoop on the talented righty.
VYPE: When did you realize you could make a career out of baseball?
Trahan: I realized it at Orwall at 12 years-old, when I had a leg up on everyone else. I hit 75 mph and hit most of the home runs.
VYPE: What are the goals for your team in the upcoming season?
Trahan: We need to grow as a team, so that we don’t fall short or get out early in the playoffs like the two previous years. The ultimate team goal is to go to state and I feel we have all the tools to do that. The pitching, fielding and hitting all needs to come together as one for us to be confident in the playoffs.
VYPE: Where do you think you will be playing in the field this year?
Trahan: Sophomore year, I started at third base and moved to right field junior year. This year I am going to play wherever they need me to lead my team. I’ll be the ace of our pitching staff.
VYPE: What was your most memorable moment in your baseball career at College Park so far?
Trahan: During sophomore year Kingwood, College Park and The Woodlands were at a three-way tie to be in the playoffs. I went in to pitch with bases loaded last inning. I struck out the last batter to win the game and secured our spot in playoffs.
VYPE: What led up to you committing to Dallas Baptist University?
Trahan: I went to DBU to play in a showcase with my travel team—Twelve baseball. I pitched one inning before it got rained out and the DBU recruiting coordinator invited me to come to team practice. I fell in love with campus and how welcoming the other players there. Also DBU has done very well in the past and I think I can be a part of helping them improve and ultimately get to Omaha for the College World Series. I’m very excited to go there and grow my relationship with Christ and grow as a baseball player. Coach Heefner and Coach Fitzgerald are amazing and know the game very well as well as Coach McCarty improving me individually as a pitcher.
VYPE: What is it like playing with your twin brother?
Trahan: I always pitch better with him behind the plate, he knows what I want and I know what he wants. Our connection is unmatched. I don’t know if he will play baseball in college but I believe he wants to.
VYPE: What is something no one knows about you?
Trahan: I love to fish I started when I was young with my grandpa, and now it just brings back the good memories with my family.
Mackenzie Malatesta is a student at The Woodlands High School and a part of the VYPE U Internship Program. To learn more about how you can become a VYPE U Intern, click here!
Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.