“She’s a role model,” he said. “The things she’s been through in her life — just the determination and grit she’s had not only for herself, but her kids, shows me that life isn’t too big in those (tough) moments. Just take it one day at a time and enjoy it.
“As I’ve gotten older, our connection has grown really close, and she’s someone I look up to.”
The Wright State catcher took part in the Senior Day ceremony at Nischwitz Stadium and was honored along with seven teammates before the game with his parents in attendance.
Then, he gave his mom a Mother’s Day gift she likely will never forget.
He smashed a 430-foot home run to left-center to give the Raiders an insurance run on the way to a 4-1 win Sunday over Northern Kentucky.
The Vandalia Butler product is tied with teammate JP Peltier for second in the Horizon League with 16 homers — seven of them in the last six games.
Smith had 19 last year, one short of the school record, and has 41 for his career — three shy of the all-time program high of 44 set by Gabe Snyder from 2015-18.
He had two homers in the season’s first game and then just one in the next 16. But he’s back to being a basher.
What’s changed?
“It’s just taking a deep breath and making the most of these last few moments in a Raider uniform. I know my time here is limited, and I just want to enjoy it and have fun,” he said.
Like mother, like son.
“It’s a great group of guys we have here. They’re very supportive. They have my back. That alone helped take the weight off my shoulders,” he said.
Seventh-year coach Alex Sogard put Smith at leadoff to start the season, but shuffled him down to sixth to give more pop to the back of the order.
“He’s seeing it well. I was telling our assistants, ‘When he hits a home run, it’s the smoothest swing he has. He just kind of touches it,’” Sogard said.
“The power he has is incredible. When he hits it, it’s a no-doubter.”
He also has a keen eye, ranking ninth nationally with 1.05 walks per game. And he’s third in the league in on-base percentage at .498.
A second-team All-Horizon League pick at shortstop last season, he took over for perennial all-conference catcher Sammy Sass this year.
He’s batting .308 with 44 RBI’s in 45 games.
“You don’t talk about it as much, but what he’s done behind the plate has really changed the game for us. He’s gotten so good at receiving,” Sogard said.
“I told him he’s done a really good job keeping up with his body. It’s hard to catch as much as he’s been catching and still have the bat and not be exhausted. He’s peaking late, which you don’t always see with catchers.”
Gus Gregory broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run homer in the seventh for the Raiders, who clinched their seventh straight regular-season title last weekend and are 32-16 overall and 23-4 in the HL.
Three pitchers combined to give up just six hits and one walk against NKU (27-22, 15-12).
“That’s kind of our brand of baseball. The pitching was good. We made really good plays defensively. And we had some big swings,” Sogard said.
The Raiders, who travel to Kent State on Tuesday, play Thursday through Saturday at Purdue Fort Wayne with a chance to break the all-time league record for winning percentage.
Their 2014 team went 25-4 for a .862 mark. A sweep would put them at .867.
They haven’t lost a league series this year, and they can go 10 for 10 by winning two of three games. The last time they won every series was 2018.
“That’s what we talk about all year — win the series and, if you get an opportunity, try to get a sweep,” coach Alex Sogard said.
“If you win every series, you’re going to put yourself in good position to win the league.”
Senior Day honorees among position players were shortstop Luke Arnold, who has made 140 career starts and has been a part of five regular-season titles and three tourney crowns; and Parker Harrison, who has played in 49 games, including Sunday as a designated-hitter.
Pitchers recognized were Garrett Peters, who has made 52 appearances since joining the Raiders in 2023 (including a team-high 25 last year); Mychal Grogan, who has 56 career strikeouts in 55 innings; Max Whitesell, who leads the team with a 3.00 ERA; Noah Williamson, who has made 12 appearances; and Jarrett Heilman, a transfer this year from Mercyhurst.
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