LC’s Ben Seebeck hopes growth leads to playoffs

Since he started playing the game in first grade, Lewis and Clark High School outfielder Ben Seebeck knew he wanted to be a baseball player.

“I’ve always loved it,” said Seebeck. “I watched the Mariners with my dad.

“I liked Jay Buhner, actually. I got to meet him in Arizona, which was pretty cool.

“It was cool to see how different major leaguers reacted to publicity and stuff, but he was really nice. He came over and shook my hand. I was probably in fifth grade or so.”

Seebeck has gone on to hit over .300 this season while leading the Tigers into the thick of the Greater Spokane League playoff race. His 2-4 performance, along with his first home run of the season last week, helped LC on its way to a 9-6 win over Gonzaga Prep.

The Tigers went on to sweep the Bullpups 6-3 the following day, putting them right behind Central Valley in the battle for the final two playoff berths in the league.

“It would be real big,” Seebeck said. “I’ve been on varsity since my sophomore year, and we haven’t gone to the playoffs, so it would complete my senior year, especially because it’s my last year of playing, since I’m not going to in college, if we go.”

The senior also pitches for the Tigers and will be called upon in a big doubleheader today against Clarkston.

“Pitching wise, I’ve put a lot of speed on the ball,” said Seebeck. “Coach has really helped develop my skills. My off-speed pitch has gotten better.

“My sophomore year, I came up here and was scared as hell up there, but by my senior year, it’s just a mental game. Even if you don’t have your stuff, you’ve just got to intimate the other team to think you’re going to come out and hand it to them.”

The senior has had to battle back from off-season surgery for a partially torn muscle in his back, limiting his ability to hit for the early part of the season.

“That’s indicative of him,” said Tiger head coach Dexter Davis. “He’s a team player.

“This kid battled back from a surgery, where a lot of kids might say, ‘I don’t want to play’ or ‘I don’t want to be injured.’

“I have to tell him to let up on balls and not go all-out. He only knows one gear, and that is all-out.”

Despite his early struggles at the plate, the senior has contributed with his defensive prowess in the field.

“Number one, he’s probably one of the best defensive outfielders in the league in terms of getting good jumps on the ball and taking good angles,” Davis said. “There are not too many fly balls that are hit in the outfield that he’s not going to catch.

“That’s one of his main qualities.”

In spite of Seebecks’ rawness early in his career, Davis saw enough in him to bring him up to the Tiger varsity as a sophomore.

“Maybe he was intimidated as a sophomore, but that’s a big jump for most kids to play varsity baseball, but look at the upside,” Davis said. “We felt it was imperative we have a kid like that come up.

“We knew he would come up and help our program. You have to have kids like that.

“He’s a competitor and a good person. He always has a smile on his face and is just a positive person.”

Seebeck is hoping those leadership qualities will land the Tigers in the playoffs this month.

“I just want to enjoy my senior season and do as good as I can, and hope that everything turns out like how I want it to,” Seebeck said. “I just want to go to the playoffs, take it a game at a time, and see if we can turn the season around.”

“He works hard,” added Davis. “He’s one of the best in terms of balance in helping us in school, in sport, and in home life as a senior that I’ve ever had. … You always hear his voice, and he’s always promoting other people and not himself.”