Senior Caleb Tommasini is a former Oregon State football player who transferred to the University of Oregon following the 2005 season. He spent the next two years on special teams for Oregon’s football team before deciding to try out for the baseball team this fall.
Tommasini is the only player on the roster currently batting over .300, with an average of .315. In the most recent game against Portland on Tuesday, Tommasini went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and he stole his Pacific-10 Conference-leading 14th base of the season.
Tommasini also has a brother, John, who is a sophomore at Oregon State University and plays infield for the Beavers. They met on the diamond recently when the Ducks played the Beavers in the first baseball Civil War since the ’80s.
So what’s next for the Duck speedster? The Emerald caught up with Tommasini to find out.
Oregon Daily Emerald: What made you switch to baseball out of curiosity?
Caleb Tommasini: I wasn’t playing as much as I wanted to in football. I mean, I played some on special teams, but my whole life my dad was telling me, ‘Play baseball, play baseball. You’re a better baseball player,’ and all I wanted to do was play football. Then when baseball came around I said, ‘Why not?’ Everyone always told me I should try, so I played some summer ball and it worked out well, and I showed up in the fall. I don’t even think they thought I was going to show up. I didn’t have a number at first. Luke Emanuel, our operations guy, called Coach Horton up and said that I showed up and needed a number. So I got 38. I kept it, too, because it kind of defined how I got here.
ODE: What’s your major?
CT: Business finance. But I’m actually already graduated. I’m not taking any classes. Spring is the only term where you can do that and still play. I’m actually studying for the LSATs right now. I’m gonna take them at the end of spring term. I want to go to law school after that. Maybe MBA and law school. The joint thing. It’s possible.
ODE: What did it feel like to graduate?
CT: It’s so nice. Waking up at 11 a.m., rolling over to practice, getting a few extra swings in. All the other guys are doing homework. Very stress-free. All you have to do is play a game, and they’re paying you to stay here. It’s awesome.
ODE: What was it like playing against your brother?
CT: It was awesome. I’ve never played against him before. It’s kind of cool. In your head you’re thinking that you want him to get a hit because there’s a guy on second, but then you want him to line out to me. You know, because he’s your brother. You want him to do great, but then again you want to win the game. It goes both ways.
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Athlete of the Week
Daily Emerald
April 14, 2009
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