Ray is a big part of Tigers' success

HURON — Tommy Ray has grown into an intimidating force on the baseball diamond, but that wasn't always the case. Huron's Ray, who stand 6-foot-3 and weighs a solid 200 pounds, is a first-team all-district pick who leads the Tigers' potent offense with a .402 batting average. The rangy center fielder has hit three home runs this season with 22 runs batted in and has scored a team-high 23 runs. His increased power led Huron coach Dan Lindsley to drop Ray from the leadoff spot to the 3-hole in the Tigers' order last month. The move has helped the Tigers advance to this week's Division II regional at Bowling Green. Huron will play Napoleon at 2 p.m. Thursday at Carter Park in the state's round of 16. "We knew it was in him," Lindsley said. "He had a great sophomore year but had to battle through injuries. He had a down year last year and regrouped. This year is what we thought he could be. Batting average, fielding, leadership — it's all there." Ray, now a multi-talented senior, said he checked in at about 5-6 and 120 pounds as a freshman. "I used to be one of the smaller guys in my class," Ray said. "Until my freshman year I was 5-6, 5-7. My high school career, I've been bigger. I've been in the gym since I was going into my sophomore year." Lindsley said Ray has always been skilled, but it took until this year for everything to come together. "He played JV (as a freshman). He had some skill," Lindsley said. "Sophomore year he was our hottest hitter the first two weeks but then the injuries came. He still had a solid year but he didn't get to play probably 10 games because of injury." When Ray did grow, it took a toll on his knees. For several years, he dealt with patella tendinitis, an injury that affects the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone. "Your bones grow faster than your tendons so the tendons pull and rub on the bone causing irritation," he said. Ray played football his first three years in high school but decided not to go that route his senior season, partly due to his knees and partly because his 2023 summer baseball season with the Sandusky Bay Scrappers went long. When people see Ray now, they often think football. "After our game against Vermilion, me and Cody (Scroggins) went over to their coach to wish them good luck in the tournament," Ray said. "The first thing he said was, 'Dude, why didn't you play football?' " The decision to focus on baseball has paid off for Ray. Once known as a speedy leadoff hitter, he's now one of the area's more imposing figures at the plate. Part of that is the overall growth process. He also works out with senior teammates Donni Hartley and Austin Wasily. "What we're seeing now, we knew it was there," Lindsley said. "He is a natural hitter. When we started doing things in January and February we started seeing that." Ray started the season at leadoff before being moved into a power spot in April. "(Lindsley) said if I don't have people on base when I'm getting hits it's not helping the team as much," Ray said. "He wants people on base when I'm up to bat. He knows I have the ability to drive in runs." Ray now bats after Landon Hohler and Paul Maloney, who both are hitting bette than .300. In a district final victory against Perkins, Hohler and Maloney led off the game with singles before Ray crushed one off the fence in left field for a long single. Ray also has the ability to deny runs to opponents with his play in center field. In Huron's 17-4 sectional championship win against Shelby, he made a diving catch and doubled up a runner at first base, who was sure the baseball would drop in front of Ray. "He hit a line drive right in front of me," Ray said. "I knew that the wind was pushing it out and the ball would carry a little bit. I knew I had a chance. I slid and caught it. I had a feeling the guy at first didn't think I would get there. When I got up, I saw him basically at second base. I threw it to first and got him." Lindsey appreciates the cerebral part of the game, which Ray has embraced. "I've seen him strike out early and come back and get three hits," Lindsley said. "A lot of guys strike out early and get frustrated. That's a maturity thing. It helps our younger players when they see the guy who's the stud strike out and he's back in the dugout cheering on his teammates or getting prepared for the next play. That's huge." Ray is one of four seniors on the Huron team, joining Scroggins, Wasily and Hartley. "It's great to see him succeed," Hartley said. "He had a little bit of struggles last year. I've played baseball with him forever and he's always done great things wherever you put him." Ray has the skill to play college baseball, but plans to focus on academics in the fall. He will attend BGSU Firelands and work toward a major in exercise science. "I want to focus on my career," he said. "It's not an easy major so I want to focus on school, get a good job and set up my future."