Matt Levins -The Hawk Eye / John Gaines Photography
Many high school athletes would have called it a career after suffering a torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament.
Spencer Brent isn’t one of them.
Brent, a senior on the Notre Dame High School baseball team, sustained the injury in the second inning of a game June 14 at Van Buren County.
The prognosis was difficult. The fix even tougher. Brent will undergo Tommy John surgery, which has up to an 18-month recovery time.
Brent, who helped the Nikes to two state tournaments, wasn’t going to end his baseball career because of an injury.
He wanted to go out on his own terms.
While Brent wasn’t able to pitch anymore, coach Chris Chiprez shifted the lineup to allow him to play first base. Problem solved.
All Brent did was hit .458 with a .531 on-base percentage and a .617 slugging percentage. In 107 at bats, he had 49 hits. He scored a team-high 48 runs and drove in a team-high 39 runs. He also stole 17 bases and had a .976 fielding percentage.
As the Nikes’ No. 2 hitter, Brent was one of the best handlers of the bat.
While Notre Dame came up just short in its quest to return to the Class 1A state tournament, Brent earned first team All-SEI Super Conference South Division honors.
He led the Nikes to a 28-4 record and No. 1 state ranking as a senior.
The Hawk Eye recently caught up with Brent, the High School Athlete of the Week, to learn a little more about him.
What is your favorite sport besides baseball?
Basketball
What is your best memory in baseball?
State appearances in 2020, 2023.
What is your most embarrassing memory in the sport?
Bat flipping doubles.
What do you do to unwind after a game?
Going out to eat with the boys.
Who is the funniest person on the team and why?
Probably Isaiah (Crow) because he’s always joking around, and his laugh is one of a kind.
Who is your biggest role model and why?
Probably my older brothers because playing sports and competing with them is one of the reasons I love the game.
What is your favorite subject in school and why?
Any of Lee Lundvall’s classes.
What is your favorite meal?
Brisket
What movie could you watch over and over?
Surfs Up
What food can you always find in your refrigerator?
Eggs
If you had free concert tickets, who would you see?
J Cole
If you had free tickets to see a professional game of any sport, what would it be and who would be playing?
Cubs vs Cards at Wrigley.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time and why?
Hunting/fishing, lifting, golfing. Grew up on a farm hunting and fishing and love the outdoors.
What are your future plans for college and career?
I’m attending the University of Illinois to study agriculture and consumer economics.
What is something about yourself that would surprise people?
That I ended high school with a 4.2 GPA somehow.