Trinity senior dominant among area pitchers
Senior Mark Geisel has been playing with coach Will Averitt and the Trinity baseball team for the past four years and has been one of the better pitchers in the area this season.
But it wasn't always all about baseball.
Geisel began playing when he was eight years old but was a multi-sport athlete, also playing soccer. He would play on the weekends, but had to pick one sport or the other.
“Every weekend, I would have to pick between either baseball or soccer and I ended up giving up soccer because of how thrilling and exciting the game of baseball was and still is,” Geisel said.
The senior pitcher hasn't made a decision about competing at the next level, but he's not worried about the future just yet. He's having a terrific season as he's coming off two stellar performances, including a near-perfect game March 17 against Colleyville Heritage. Geisel was one strike away from accomplishing the feat before giving up a single on a 2-2 pitch.
“Being one strike away from a perfect game was a thrilling experience, but I try every outing to put our team in a position to win,” he said.
He's 2-0 in 17 1/3 innings pitched with 31 strikeouts and an amazing 0.40 ERA. He's also one of the top hitters for Averitt's team with a .312 batting average.
For the Trojans, they're looking to make noise and their second straight playoff trip. Trinity made last year's postseason, a first since 2003.
“We are having a great season as a team, and want to continue this great success by getting better everyday,” Geisel said. “We want to continue to play well and just take the season one game at a time. If at the end of the season we're in playoffs we will be excited, but right now we're just focusing on the next game.”
Geisel credits Averitt for helping him become the player he is today. He also loves the thrill of playing for the Trojans, thanks in large part to the school's student section, known as the “Right Field Rowdies.”
“Playing for Trinity is like nothing else, the intensity and atmosphere of our student section and the support from our parents and coaching staff makes Trinity one of a kind,” he said.
“Playing for Coach Averitt for these past four years has allowed me to become a better person and player,” saying Averitt can joke but also take the game seriously. “With his daily puns and the way he explains to us how to wash our pants after games, his passion and drive for the game makes us a better team all around.”
This story was originally published March 30, 2015 at 1:48 PM with the headline "Trinity senior dominant among area pitchers."