Ryan O’Hearn is a freshman baseball player from Toledo, Ohio. Although he described himself as a utility player, he has lately been playing centerfield.
What has been the most nerve-wracking or fun part of joining the team and playing collegiate baseball?
I think playing with people that are five years older than me. That can be a little intimidating, but that’s also a lot of fun playing baseball and learning the college way of playing baseball. The speed of the game in college is a lot faster and changes the way the game goes. The pitchers are a lot better and throw harder and throw funkier pitches at you. In high school, not everyone is the best, but in college everyone was best on their high school teams.
Do you have any pre-game rituals? If so, what are they?
I don’t have too many pre-game rituals. I always pray before the game with my teammates. Praying is always a must. I also like to listen to some pump up music whether that be Lecrae, who is a Christian rapper, or sometimes I like to listen to some mellow music like some Dave Matthews Band. But that’s about it. I don’t have a lot.
Why do you love baseball?
I love baseball because I played a lot of sports in my day: football, basketball, soccer, but baseball is different. There is no clock on the game. It could go for days on days, which makes the game unique. A lot of other sports require just athletic abilities, but I’ve heard people say that baseball is 80 percent mental, and only about 20 percent physical. I am constantly learning something about the game. You can never be great at baseball because you can always be better.
Who are your baseball inspirations?
Well I’d like to say my brother first off because he played baseball here. I want to live up to what he has done, but also try to form my own legacy here at Hillsdale baseball. I also look up to Ryan Rayburn who used to play for the Tigers and now the Indians. He is a small guy out there who likes to get dirty, have fun, and play hard.
What would you say to the people who think they should speed baseball up?
At some points I would agree with them because sometimes the game can get too slow. You want to keep the flow of the game. A long game can get boring. So I half agree with them.
What have been your favorite memories from baseball so far at Hillsdale?
I’d say the memories that we make off the field in the locker room and in the hotels over the weekend. There are too many to point out one. The team bonding off the field has created some great memories.
When did you start playing baseball?
I’ve played baseball for as long as I can remember. Probably when I was a 7-year-old for my school. That’s when I started.
When did you know you wanted to pursue baseball on the collegiate level?
Sophomore year of high school I realized I was good enough to play in college. So when I found out I could play for the school my brother played for and sister goes to, it was a no-brainer.
What’s the most challenging part of playing baseball for you?
The most difficult part is staying out of my head, because in baseball you can’t think during games and I think too much. But when I don’t think, that’s when I play the best baseball.
What makes a good baseball player?
Someone who is definitely hard working and has a strong mental side of the game. Someone who can cope with failure, and learn from it and who is a good teammate.
What would you say to high school students hoping to pursue baseball in college?
Work extremely hard, and in everything that you do make it count. When coaches come to watch you play they look at how you swing, how you feild, how you react with error on the play and when you strike out. Never get too high or too low because that will hurt you in the long run.
Who is your favorite professional baseball team?
The Detroit Tigers definitely. My whole family are all Detroit fans.
What makes baseball a better sport that any of the other sports you’ve played?
I do love football. That’s tough. But baseball is such a team sport, not an individual sport. It’s such a different game because it is so mental, and not as physical. It’s America’s pastime. Everyone grew up throwing a baseball in their backyard, getting dirty, and having fun.
