There isn’t much that Ric Standley doesn’t do for the Warrenton baseball team.
From third baseman and lead-off hitter to the team’s closer, the junior is at the center of it all for the …
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There isn’t much that Ric Standley doesn’t do for the Warrenton baseball team.
From third baseman and lead-off hitter to the team’s closer, the junior is at the center of it all for the Warriors.
The number of jobs he can tend to have during a given game doesn’t faze him, Standley said.
After all, he is playing a game.
“You try to make it fun however you can and try to find a balance,” said Standley of offsetting pressure and outcome. “This is a kid’s game, you have to try and make it fun. That’s what this is all about.”
Currently, Standley owns a .395 batting average, .512 slugging percentage, .500 on-base percentage, one home run and seven RBI for the Warrenton offense.
While the numbers are all near the top of the team's individual leaderboard, Standley said he tries to keep the game simple.
“I am just trying to go out there, get on base and generate as many runs as I can for the team,” Standley said. “Knowing that (the coaches and team count on me to produce) feels good. It doesn’t really add pressure; it just gives me more confidence.”
That confidence has translated onto the pitching mound, and Standley is also a main facet of the team’s bullpen.
He has held opponents to a .103 batting average and he possesses two of the team’s three saves over the course of eight and one-third innings pitched for Warrenton (7-7).
Warrenton Coach Eric Burle said that being able to help the team as a defender, hitter, and pitcher is something Standley excels at.
He added that the junior's mental approach not only benefits his personal performance but also that of the team as a whole.
“It’s not easy,” Burle said. “Those are three facets of the game and he does all of them really well. He’s one of our better defenders and one of our better bats. He also has the ability to be our closer. He’s a steady kid. He doesn’t get too high, he doesn’t get too low. He’s been a consistent performer for us for two years. I’m really happy with what he’s done.”
While Standley has remained on an even keel throughout his high school playing days, Burle added that he possesses a mental toughness that sets him apart from many players his age.
“Ric has a pretty good eye at the plate, but he also goes out there and embraces the closer role,” said Burle of the differences in the junior’s game. “He doesn’t swing at a lot of bad pitches. He served both hats (on offense and defense) very well.”
While he’s off to a great start, Standley said he’s hoping for more.
Even though personal success would mean the world to him, if that personal success can help bring about team glory, Standley’s all about that.
“We all have things we can work on,” Standley said. “I really want to work on pulling the ball more and generating more power. I would like to get all-conference and all-district but, really, I want to score as many runs as I can to help the team succeed. In this game, you win as a team. Being able to succeed (as a hitter, infielder and pitcher) feels good. I know I’ve had a good game when I can do all that and the team wins.”
