Rocking the Diamond

Senior baseball player Hunter Price has been stepping up his game this year with intense focus and persistence. This is his fourth year playing baseball for West Ashley High School and his 14th year playing the sport overall. Price said he was very proud to be named West Of’s Athlete of the Week, adding that this honor made him want to do even better.
Price started playing baseball because when parents signed him up for a youth recreational league and he liked it right off the bat. He tried football at one point, but decided it was not as enjoyable to him. His coaches would definitely agree that baseball is the sport he was meant to play. “He is one of our vocal leaders and has evolved into one of our key players and a very special senior,” says head baseball coach Tyson Azevedo. “He is hitting .500 on the year and playing a very solid leftfield for us.”
Price says his greatest achievement in baseball was when he first made the West Ashley Varsity team. He primarily plays leftfield, but he also pitches. In three recent games against Goose Creek, Price hit .667 with an on-base percentage of .800. In another recent game he hit 2-2, with 2 singles, and had 1 RBI.
Hitting is one of Price’s strengths. He claims that the best baseball advice he was ever given was to “swing hard [first] because if you miss, you’ve got two more chances.” This advice seems to have served Price well, or so his high batting average would suggest. “I focus on my current path and not what else is going on,” says Price. “I try not to think, and when I mess up, I try to laugh it off and do better next time.” Price’s personal motto is “no regrets.” He even has this motto written on the inside brim of his baseball hat.
Last year the West Ashley varsity baseball team graduated seven seniors. This season, Price has stepped up to help fill that leadership void. “Hunter has shown he wants to win at any cost. He continues to give maximum effort and is willing to sacrifice himself for the betterment of the team,” says Azevedo.
Price also does what he can to help his younger teammates, especially when it comes to demonstrating a positive attitude. “We have a young group, but they’re hard workers,” says Price. “The season is going pretty good. When we get our attitudes right, we’ll start winning the games we should.”
Despite loving baseball, Price does not plan to play in college; he wants to be able to devote more time and attention to his academics. When he graduates this spring, he plans to attend either the College of Charleston or the University of South Carolina to major in Accounting. Math is his strongest subject, and he hopes to find a job that deals with money and financial predicaments after he earns his Bachelor’s degree.