NORTH MUSKEGON – The North Muskegon baseball team is off to a hot start offensively, which is one reason the Norse are 11-2-1 overall and 8-0 in the West Michigan Conference.
The hot Norse offense has been getting a big boost from its leadoff hitter, sophomore catcher Ben Meyers, who has been tearing the cover off the ball.
One example came on Tuesday, when Meyers hit a grand slam to lead the Norse to an 18-3 victory over Mason County Central in frigid temperatures.
There was also a recent game against Calvin Christian, when Meyers went 3-for-5 at the plate with a grand slam, and a doubleheader sweep of Ravenna, when Meyers had a homer and three RBIs in the opener, and three more hits in the second game.
[1]Meyers was second in the area in the recent MuskegonSports.com baseball leader board with a red-hot .665 batting average with 13 RBIs and two homers. The home run and RBI total obviously increased after his grand slam on Tuesday.
“I’ve started off good,” Meyers said. “Last year I had a slump right at the beginning, but this year I’ve started off hot and I’m seeing pitches really well. I’m just hitting good.”
When asked how exciting it is for a sophomore to hit two grand slams in a season, Meyers answered from a team perspective.
“It felt pretty good cause those helped my team secure some good wins, and you can’t hit a grand slam without your teammates getting on base, so a shout-out to them for doing their thing,” he said.
It’s kind of unusual for a catcher with power to bat leadoff, particularly a young sophomore catcher who has lots of other responsibilities on the field.
But Meyers has been sparking North Muskegon to some huge run totals, despite his relative lack of experience.
[2]“It just kind of comes natural to me,” Meyers said about batting leadoff. “I’ve hit leadoff for a lot of my life. I think the first at bat is one of the biggest at bats of the game. It can spark the energy for the whole game.”
As a leadoff hitter, Meyers is relied upon to get the offense going, and he’s doing a great job of that, according to first-year North Muskegon head coach Garrett Moyer.
“He really sets the tone with his approach,” said Moyer about his star sophomore. “He’s not your typical leadoff guy. He’s very aggressive and we want him to be. But he’s disciplined at the same time, and he’s got a great two-strike approach.
“He puts the ball in play a lot. Even if he squares it up and gets out, he still sets the tone for us.”
[3]While Coach Moyer is new to the program, he’s already sold on the value of having a player like Meyers, a three-sport athlete who also plays football and basketball.
“I’ve been extremely impressed with his demeanor and everything,” the coach said. “He’s such a humble kid who works hard every day. He soaks up everything, and he was voted team captain. You’d never know how well he’s doing because he’s just such a humble kid.”
Being a team captain is extremely rare for an underclassman, and Meyers takes the role seriously.
“It’s an honor,” said Meyers, who was on varsity last season as a freshman and helped the Norse win a Division 3 district title. “It’s a big role and I just want to help our team win conference, districts and keep going into the playoffs.”
[4]Meyers isn’t the type of captain who cheerleads very often or barks orders. He leads by going about his business the right way and setting a positive example.
“I’m kind of quiet and I’d rather lead by example than do it by talking,” he said.
That leadership shines through when Meyers talks about what he’d like to see for the rest of the season.
“It would be sweet if I could keep it up,” said Meyers about his hot start at the plate. “But our whole team is hitting really well right now. I’d rather us keep winning games, win conference and win districts again than worry about my hitting.”
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