Jack Swisher runs to home plate during a Greenwave home game earlier this season.
Greenwave baseball’s Jack Swisher has been to state every year of his varsity career, and with the end of his senior year approaching, he hopes to make it a round four.
Since joining varsity baseball, Swisher has scored 75 runs — from one home run, 12 triples and 26 doubles. He also has a batting average of .375 and on base percentage of .442.
Though born in Reno, Swisher has lived in Fallon his entire life. He first became involved in Fallon sports at 5 years old with T ball and began playing varsity baseball for Fallon as a freshman.
Coach Lester de Braga said he has coached Swisher all four years of high school. He said the senior is a tremendous player
“His quality of play, his character; it’s something Greenwave baseball is all about,” de Braga said. “He’s a quality athlete and a quality person.”
Swisher has helped Greenwave baseball in three state competitions, winning once and coming close the other two. He said he hopes they make it again this year and that his senior season will end with a championship.
“I always want to end on top,” Swisher said. “Play hard every game so we can get there.”
He also attributed the team’s success to de Braga’s coaching. Swisher said the coach has an aggressive coaching style that brought them to state almost every year for six years.
De Braga said it was hard to see Swisher preparing to leave, but was happy with the time he was on the team. He said he would strive to build future players to Swisher’s level of play. The coach added Swisher has been a role model for the team and he always responds well to coaching and works hard to acheive what is asked of him.
Swisher has also competed on the wrestling team for four years and this year he joined the football team for the first time.
After graduating, Swisher said he plans to play baseball at a junior college in Eugene, Ore. He does not have a scholarship for the 2017-18 season, but said he would be able to try for one next year. After sending a video and information, the school reached out to junior varsity coach Brett Workman; they invited Swisher for a tryout and liked what they saw in the young athlete.
Swisher said the season has been bittersweet, since graduation is rapidly approaching. He said he’s excited for regionals though and noted the Greenwave won most of this year’s series. He said if they can get their bats going strong, they will do well in this week’s competitions.