Trevor Milton has been in Mountain View’s baseball program all four years, but this year unlike any other, he’s a new player.
“It’s a 180,” Thunder coach Aaron Coiteux said. “… He’s proven that hard work and dedication will get you a long ways. Not only in baseball but in life.”
The entire Thunder roster sees a different player, sophomore catcher Riley McCarthy said.
“He set the tone for everybody that this is the year we have a shot to make a run.”
Wednesday, Milton earned his third win allowing three earned runs over 6.1 innings and also went 2 for 3 at the plate in Mountain View’s 6-5 win over Hudson’s Bay at Propstra Stadium to remain unbeaten at 7-0.
The Thunder plated five runs in the fifth inning to take the lead for good and held off the Eagles’ seventh-inning scoring threat with back-to-back strikeouts by reliever Quinn Rooks.
At 3-0 with two shutouts in three starts to begin the 2019 season, Milton’s made quite the change for himself from last season as primarily the Thunder’s in-game live-stats guru with a few innings pitched sprinkled in.
His renewed dedication to pitching — from offseason winter workout commitments to improved eating and sleeping habits — is a big reason he and the Thunder are unbeaten.
Milton can’t help but smile when asked about his early-season success.
“I’ve surprised my family, too,” Milton said. … “But I expected to do well because I prepared myself and I got ready for it.”
McCarthy, Milton’s batterymate Wednesday, said when the senior takes the mound, a certain tone is set that carries into the rest of the Thunder lineup.
The whole team sees a new Milton, McCarthy said.
“He found something this offseason,” said McCarthy, who went 2 for 3 with a run scored and RBI, “and really turned it on. He’s a bulldog.”
Despite allowing three runs in the first inning, Milton and Mountain View (7-0) eventually found a groove. The senior allowed three hits after the fourth inning but Bay (4-4) held a 5-1 lead through four innings. The Eagles Wednesday were led by Peyton Westwick (4 for 4, 2 runs).
In the fifth, Mountain View sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on two hits and took advantage of three walks by Bay pitchers. Garrett Moen’s RBI single gave the Thunder the lead for good.
Milton struck out three and walked one Wednesday on 104 pitches. His starts have been pleasant surprise for Coiteux, but not completely unexpected. After all, the coach knew what Milton could produce, but it was a matter of finding it.
And as important as Milton’s physical transformation is, the growth in confidence is just as big, he said.
“I’m still the same skinny kid,” he said, “but just working out made my mind stronger than I could ever imagine.”
