For The Tribune
While Tyler Peters started playing baseball at a young age, he dropped the sport for several years.
Through encouragement from friends, and the fact that he would have a brother joining the team this year, Peters decided to go out for the Crothersville team his senior year.
“My brother (Trevor) played, and he’s been one of the main persons on the team, so I decided to try it,” Tyler said.
This season, Peters played first base.
“I liked it because I get to make all the plays,” Peters said. “If there is a play in the infield, I get to catch all the balls. I take the pickoff throws if there is a runner on base.”
Peters said you have to be focused on every pitch, and admitted that a line drive right at him or if it is rising is the hardest play to make.
“It’s difficult if it’s over my head and I have to judge it,” he said.
In the field, Peters said that it takes a lot of communication between the fielders, especially on balls between first and second or into short right field.
“I try going out on the ball, and the second baseman covers me on first, and it depends on if there is a runner on first or not,” Peters said. “Communication is the key to everything there.”
The senior liked to take his cuts in the batter’s box. He said he batted in the sixth or seventh positions for the Tigers most of the season.
“I love hitting the ball,” he said. “I’m a power hitter, so I hit it deep the best I can. I have not hit a home run, but I came close. I’ve hit a lot of ‘warning track’ balls. I’ve usually been our second cleanup man.”
Peters typically looked for a fastball on the first pitch.
“I like pitches belt high to the top of my letters,” Peters said. “I don’t bunt much. I can run, but I don’t run that fast.
“If it’s inside, I need to swing earlier. I just try to go with the pitch. You want to be aggressive on the first pitch and make sure it comes out of there good.”
Peters always tried to work hard in practice.
“It’s very important,” he said. “When you get out there, you’ve got to know what kind of plays you’re going to make and all that and work on you’re hitting.”
He said having a positive attitude is also important.
“You’ve got to know that you can hit the ball. You’ve got to know that you can field the ball,” Peters said. “You can’t go out there without any confidence. You’ve got to have 100 percent confidence that that’s your ballgame.”
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Name: Tyler Peters
School: Crothersville
Parents: Jeremy and Staci Peters
Siblings: Trevor, Nate
Sports: Baseball, two years
Organizations: Science Club
Plans after high school: Working and taking online classes
Favorite food: Spaghetti
Favorite team: Cincinnati Reds
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Q: What was it like returning to baseball?
A: “I love being out there with the team. It’s real fun being out there with the whole team. I enjoyed everybody’s company.”
Q: Favorite away field?
A: “I like Cannelton’s field. The only thing I didn’t like, it had a deep center. Its 410 feet to center. You really had to drive it.”
Q: Did you enjoy your time at CHS?
A: “I’ve enjoyed it very much. It’s a very hands-on school. I like a small school. Everybody knows you. All the teachers know you by name. I’ve made a lot of friends. You can have so many friends here it’s unreal. Everybody knows you by your first and last name.”
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