Already a member of Grove City’s marching band, senior Ethan Weaver was persuaded by baseball coach Ryan Alexander to return to the Greyhounds for his final season.
Senior night gave Weaver a chance to perform a double play, showcasing his musical and baseball talents.
Weaver played the national anthem on his trumpet before Monday’s game against Westland, and he was the starting pitcher in a 4-3 win that completed the Greyhounds’ perfect run through the OCC-Ohio.
“Weave is multitalented,” Alexander said. “He didn’t play baseball last year because he was so involved in the band. We were glad to have him back this year. He’s been great for us all year, another great piece to our team.”
Weaver was part of the baseball program as a freshman and sophomore before sitting out as a junior.
He pitched two innings Monday and received a no-decision as Grove City (20-4) rallied past the Cougars to finish 15-0 in league play. He allowed two runs and one hit while striking out three and walking three.
“I was a little nervous because I didn’t want to mess it up because it’s a big song, everyone knows it,” Weaver said. “As soon as I started playing, my mind kind of went blank. I wish I could have done a little bit better on the mound, but it was definitely a cool experience to be able to do both.”
Weaver has pitched in seven games this season. He has a 3.77 ERA with 16 strikeouts and nine walks in 13 innings.
Grant Ruffing earned the win in relief.
Senior Keegan Holmstrom , an Ohio State signee, led Grove City with two hits and a run scored.
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Seeded second in the Division I district tournament , the Greyhounds open the postseason May 15 against No. 28 Whetstone or No. 33 Reynoldsburg. They have won four consecutive league titles.
“It’s just a testament to our guys for showing up every day and putting forth their best effort,” Alexander said. “They’re going to try to maximize what they’ve been given.”
Samuel Schneider had an RBI triple for Westland (6-15, 2-13), which is seeded 36th.
“You always have to tip your hat to coach (Alexander),” Westland coach Brent Shannon said. “He does a good job with that program, and he has a bunch of warriors. I hope we start gaining some respect. I didn’t really like some of the votes we got in the seeding. I feel like we should be ranked a little bit higher.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Double play: Ethan Weaver performs national anthem on trumpet, pitches in Grove City win
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