Raiders鈥� VanSickle earns local Athlete of the Week honor
Waynesburg Central senior baseball player Alex VanSickle was named the TikTok成人版 Athlete of the Week for the week of March 17 to 23.
Name: Alex VanSickle
School: Waynesburg Central
Class: Senior
Sport: Baseball
VanSickle’s week: VanSickle did it all in Waynesburg Central’s season-opening, 9-1 win over Roman Catholic on Sunday, March 16 at the RussMatt Spring Tournament in Auburndale, Florida. The 18-year-old senior middle infielder/pitcher, who throws right-handed and bats left-handed, delivered three hits and two RBIs, stole four bases, scored twice and earned the win with seven strikeouts in four scoreless innings. The next day on the two-game trip he was 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs in an 11-7 victory over Tohopekaliga, then had three hits and two RBIs in a 7-5 win over Fort LeBoeuf at Meadowlark Park. VanSickle continued to swing a white-hot bat in Tuesday’s Section 4-3A opener with three more hits, including a home run, three RBIs and four runs in a 13-7 win at Brownsville. So for this season VanSickle is hitting .688 (11 for 16) with eight RBIs, 10 runs and eight stolen bases as the Raiders have won their first four games.
Searing start: “I expected us to get off to a good beginning,” VanSickle said. “Our first couple scrimmages were against tough teams which I believe got us ready.” VanSickle prepared diligently for his senior season. “I put on 25 pounds over the span of about eight months, working out and with a meal plan. That’s been a big contributor, helping with my power, hitting the ball harder. I feel that over the offseason you never take a day off. You always need to be in the cage, hitting off the machine, hitting a little bit of live (pitching), something to keep you in that groove to be ready for that first AB. I feel if you put in the work in the offseason, it’s going to pay off. So far it has.”
Team leader: VanSickle and Tyler Groves are both team captains. It’s a designation VanSickle takes seriously. “It comes with a responsibility because all the younger kids look up to you so you have to keep your composure and set a good example,” said VanSickle, who is the son of Scott and Corey VanSickle of Waynesburg. “I’m mainly shortstop, second base, but I’m pitching a little more this year out of necessity since we lost two key pitchers from last year and we needed some people to step up.” VanSickle is under his third head coach in three years. “This year I feel we’re as prepared as we’ve ever been,” he said. “Our new coach, Perry Cunningham, used to coach at Waynesburg University.” The Raiders were 13-4 overall last year and 10-2 in finishing second in the section to Mount Pleasant, and qualified for the playoffs. VanSickle has a long term goal for 2025 but is trying to keep himself and the team from looking too far ahead. “As we’re in section play now, I like to take it day by day, game by game, don’t think ahead, stay in the moment,” VanSickle said. “Obviously the end goal is to make it to the WPIAL finals.”
Next level: VanSickle is an Indiana University of Pa. recruit and will play under head coach Steve Kline, who pitched at West Virginia University before spending 11 seasons in the major leagues. Kline went into coaching after his playing days were over and was a pitching coach in the San Francisco Giants organization before taking over at IUP for the 2022 season. “I got along really well with Coach Kline,” VanSickle said. “He’s always been a great guy to me and drives me to be the best. I’m really grateful for him. I’m going there as a middle infielder. I watched them last year when they came out of nowhere to place third in the nation.” Although they’re struggling this season, the Crimson Hawks set a school record in wins last year with a 41-18 record and came within one game of playing for the NCAA Division II national championship. “I love the campus up there,” VanSickle said. “The baseball field is beautiful and the rest of it has a rustic feel to it, which I love.”
On the hardwood: VanSickle was a three-year starter on the Waynesburg basketball team and a key contributor to the Raiders’ surprising run at a section title this season after two straight last-place finishes. “I really like basketball. I’ve always played it,” VanSickle said. “The group we had this year, we all grew up playing together and even though we started slow we came one win short of winning the section,” that being an overtime loss at Southmoreland.
Following dad’s footsteps: VanSickle’s dad, Scott, was an excellent baseball player in his own right, an Albert Gallatin graduate who played college at Waynesburg and California and started for the Vulcans. “He’s been a great dad over the years overall,” Alex said. “He’s understanding and just wants me to be better than him. He’s always been there for me.”
Odds and ends: VanSickle is a lefty swinger thanks to his dad. “My dad coaxed me to hit lefty because they seem to have an advantage,” Alex said. “I’m righty in everything else. I swing a golf club right-handed.” … Like most infielders, VanSickle favors playing on turf rather than grass. “I love playing on turf just because you get true hops,” he said. “IUP has a turf infield. I’m always confident in my abilities on any type of field but I definitely prefer turf.” … VanSickle has a younger brother, 14-year-old Connor, but he doesn’t play baseball. “He plays football and basketball,” VanSickle said, adding with a laugh, “He said baseball was a little too slow for his liking.” … VanSickle is an avid reader. “I do like to read, mainly athletic books,” he said. “I also like watching sports documentaries.”
– Compiled by Rob Burchianti