First Night Scranton 2013, 12.31.12

Free activities at YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day

First Posted: 5/9/2013 If the ball is hit anywhere near centerfield, there is a good chance Abington Heights senior Josh Slocum will track it down.
&#8220;He can really go get the ball and covers the gaps very well,&#8221; Abington Heights head coach Bill Zalewski said. &#8220;We always thought his defense was very good, but now we know when the ball is hit in his direction, he&#8217;s gonna get it. He&#8217;s really the anchor of our outfield. He helps the corner outfielders out a lot with his range, that&#8217;s why we put him in centerfield.&#8221;
According to Zalewski, the Clarks Summit resident can also be counted on when the team needs a spark.
&#8220;He&#8217;s a real clutch hitter in key situations,&#8221; he said. &#8220; He&#8217;s a good, solid baseball player.&#8221;
Zalewski added that Slocum has taken on an added leadership role as a senior.
&#8220;He&#8217;s one of our team captains this year,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I noticed him take a lot of the young players, especially the outfielders, under his wing and really push them through the drills and keep them focused. He&#8217;s an outstanding leader and a great teammate.&#8221;
Zalewski believes the secret to Slocum&#8217;s success is simple: hard work and repetition.
&#8220;He&#8217;s a very dedicated baseball player,&#8221; he said. &#8220;At practice, when we&#8217;re done taking fly balls and reps in the cages, he always wants to take extra. He works hard to improve every skill that he has.&#8221;
Slocum, 18, kept busy as a youth, playing multiple sports, including baseball.
&#8220;I was five years old when I started T-ball,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I was an athletic kid when I was little. I wrestled and played football and I wanted to play three sports.&#8221;
Slocum credited his vision, both in the field and at the plate, for his success during his high school career.
&#8220;One of my best skills is picking up the ball in the outfield,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I see the ball well off the bat. I also see the ball well off the pitcher&#8217;s hand when it&#8217;s coming in.&#8221;
The future Colonel thinks the experiences from playing travel baseball have been the biggest reason for his improvement as a player.
&#8220;I have been playing baseball all summer since I was 10 years old,&#8221; Slocum said.
According to Slocum, Zalewski&#8217;s tutelage has also played a role in his progress on the diamond.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve worked a lot in the outfield,&#8221; he said. &#8220;He&#8217;s also helped with my hitting. When I&#8217;m doing something wrong, he let&#8217;s me know so that I can work on it.&#8221;
As a senior, Slocum has worked to set a positive path for the underclassman to follow.
&#8220;I like to set a good example for the younger kids,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Hopefully, they will take the tradition that has been established at Abington Heights and carry it on.&#8221;
The Comets are off to a 8-5 start and handed Valley View their only loss of the season.
&#8220;We&#8217;re playing very well as a team and our pitching is doing very well for us,&#8221; Slocum said.
The son of Mark and Barb Slocum is also a member of the wrestling team at Abington Heights.
Slocum plans to attend Wilkes University next fall to study mechanical engineering and play baseball.

<strong>Coach: A.H. senior ‘anchor of our outfield’</strong>