ATHLETE OF THE WEEK : Charles Surprised Himself With 3-Homer Game
Frank Charles thought last Thursday’s Alpha League game against Marshall Fundamental was going to be special.
“I felt really good in warm-ups,” the Montclair Prep senior said. “I’m usually not cocky but I remember telling some of my friends before the game that I was going to hit my fifth homer of the season.”
Charles not only hit his fifth home run but his sixth and seventh as well.
“The three home runs did surprise me,” Charles said. “I didn’t feel that good.”
In addition to the home runs, Charles doubled, drove in 10 runs and scored five in Montclair Prep’s 29-4 victory.
Montclair Prep (15-4, 8-1 in league) began the week with a .335 team batting average, and although Charles’ home runs increased his career total to a school-record 14, he values his defensive skills as a catcher more than his batting abilities.
“I love hitting,” he said, “but I take a lot of pride in my defense. Hitting comes second for me.
“We’ve got a lot of good hitters on this team so I know that I don’t have to hit in order for us to win.”
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