Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Latrobe’s Logan Bradish

By: Anthony DiFilippo
Monday, May 22, 2023 | 11:06 AM

After an 8-2 record and a section title last year, Latrobe’s baseball team was more than happy with the result.

But with a large number of seniors graduating, it was unclear when the Wildcats would return to that lofty status.

Turns out, it didn’t take long. The Wildcats (14-6, 9-1) led their section again this season, now down in Class 4A after making the drop from 5A.

Senior pitcher/first baseman Logan Bradish said the drop in classification didn’t really change the mindset of the team, even if it could be perceived as a move to easier competition.

“At the end of the day, baseball is baseball, and you have to go out there every day no matter what the competition is like and play your best seven innings,” he said.

Just five seniors were on the roster this year, and not all of them had much previous playing time, but that didn’t faze Bradish and the Wildcats, who started the path to success early.

“In the offseason, the weight room is where everything starts. It allows you to build team chemistry and get into uncomfortable situations so you’re ready for game time,” Bradish said. “This year’s team is a bunch of grinders. We have been down in games, but we have always found ways to battle back.”

Bradish normally plays first base and hits in the three hole when he is not on the mound.

At the high school level, pitching was new to Bradish this year, but he had experience facing some “great players,” with his travel team, Flood City.

“In my mind, I knew I couldn’t make that an excuse and had to help this team win in any possible way,” Bradish said. “I love the increase of workload. When I step on that mound, there is one thing going through my mind: getting the win for the team.”

With the season winding down, Bradish has just one simple message for the rest of the games this Latrobe team has together.

“Taking it one game at a time,” he said.

Bradish is planning on attending Davis and Elkins in West Virginia to play baseball with an intended major in criminology.

This week, Bradish took some time for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

How did you get started with baseball?

My dad and grandpap were huge baseball fans. As soon as I was able to stand, my dad always took me to the backyard and taught me the fundamentals of the game.

What was being a senior leader like on this young Latrobe team?

It was a good learning experience seeing the seniors last year and how they led the team. I wanted to go into this year by pushing the younger kids to get better every day. This young group of kids know how to show up every day to the baseball field and work hard to help the team succeed. Even though we had a relatively young team, I have played with them in Little League and Teener league, so the chemistry was already built up.

How would you describe your role in the lineup, hitting in the three hole?

I have the same role as anyone in this lineup: just to put the ball in play and let everything unfold itself. My approach in the three hole is to do anything to help this team win. I try to move runners into scoring position and try to get guys in. I know if I move a runner over, the guy behind me will pick me up and do his job.

What was the college recruiting process like?

The recruiting process was tough for me because of covid. I was happy to get the opportunity to play for coach (Brett) Ripley, who is a first-year head coach in the rebuilding process. It’s a small D-II school, and I got a great opportunity to go down there and, hopefully, contribute on things they needed to help build a winning team.

What is one thing that people might not know about you?

Off the field and even in the dugout, I love to keep the guys loose by making them laugh so they also have fun throughout the game as well.

Tags: Latrobe