Freddy Responds:
What was your favorite memory of being part of the program?
Our doubleheader March 3rd this year down at Myrtle Beach. We won both games and it was a really exciting day. In game one, I hit a two-run homer. In game two, we were down to our final strike and I hit a game-tying triple. It was the most exciting day of my college career and it was great to win both games!
What are you going to miss the most?
Definitely getting to take the field with my friends and getting to represent Eastern. I made a lot of friends who are like family to me through this program and I am most grateful for that. Playing the game I love with my friends at the college level is something I’ll always cherish.
Who are the teammates that taught you the most and what did you learn from them?
Tim Gorton, Craig Stanley, Ryan Kehr, and Jake Bunjo were a few guys who took me under their wing and made me feel welcome at Eastern. All of them were good leaders and what they showed their selflessness and humility as they served the team and kept the mission of the team first. It made me want to follow their example of humility. There were so many guys I learned things from while I played here. Many others like Jake Breyer, Ian Roth, Andrew Behnam, Britton Lawrence, and Shane Albertson showed this same servant leadership.
How do you think college athletics has helped you prepare for what’s up next in your life?
I learned the value of perseverance, discipline, and humility. Perseverance to keep working hard even amidst the ups and downs that come with being an athlete. This was especially important when I missed junior year due to injury, I had to stay vigilant and positive. Missing a year made me not take the game for granted and appreciate it more, it made me hungrier to get on the field senior year. I had to have the discipline to do what I needed to each day to become a better ballplayer, even when I didn’t feel like it. I also needed to have the humility to know that the team comes before myself. The humility to look to serve God and the team rather than looking to be served.
Who do you want to thank?
I want to thank God for leading me to Eastern and for the constant ways He is moving in my life. I want to thank my father, mother, my sister Carolyn, Nanny, and my whole family for supporting me and helping me get to this point. I also want to thank all the friends I have made at Eastern, my teammates, and all of my coaches. I could not have made the journey without them and am so blessed to have lived the dream of getting to play college ball.
