Judging by his boyish smile and timid disposition, one would not perceive Ryan McCarty as a baseball stud. Do not be fooled by his polite demeanor, McCarty is a pure killer on the diamond.
In a beyond successful Pennsbury baseball season dominated with interviews, headlines, and Billy Bethel box scores, Ryan McCarty has quietly been Pennsbury’s x-factor.
“Quietly” being the key word, as his head coach Joe Pesci acknowledges the silent way in which McCarty effectively goes about his business.
Pesci gushed, “Ryan is the type of player every coach wants on his team… He is not a loud guy and we all make fun of him for always smiling, but he is a competitor at heart.”
It hasn’t been all smiles for McCarty in the 2017 season however. The second basemen has fluctuated in and out of three hole for the majority of the year due to a mid season slump.
Ironically enough, McCarty attributes the origin of his slump to his only home run. McCarty recalls, “The home run got into my head… All I wanted to do was continue to pull the ball after I hit it… Not only do I think the home run caused my slump, but my numbers show that as well.”
Desperately wanting to rid himself of the slump, McCarty turned to his skipper. Pesci observed, “He is the kid texting and calling me at night to go hit. He is always doing more, wanting more, and is willing to sacrifice himself to help make his team win. Despite his midseason struggles, he continued to stay focused and persevere and it has paid off for him and for our team.”
The extra work McCarty put in with coach Pesci has proven to be the difference maker. McCarty is second in the team in batting average at .366, first in RBI with 20, and first in stolen bases with seven.
On why he’s constantly going the extra mile, McCarty states, “I want to be the best player I can possibly be… I always try to stand out in an effort to help my team win … I simply love the game of baseball.”
McCarty and his Falcon teammates can now do something no Pennsbury baseball team has done in the last 23 years, win a district championship.
Regardless of today’s outcome, McCarty believes this year has already been a success. McCarty reflects, “This is the best season I’ve had in high school… and definitely the most memorable season I’ve ever been a part of.”
You can watch Ryan McCarty and the Pennsbury Falcon baseball team go for their first district title since 1993 against North Penn at 3:45 on the WBCB Sports Network: http://bit.ly/PHSBase
