Ishkhan Oganesyan Says Hello To Baseball
Ishkhan Oganesyan, better known as Ish to his teammates, only picked up baseball two years ago but has made a major impact on the Saint Mary’s College Men’s Club Baseball team.
Ish grew up playing basketball and it was not until his junior year that friends of his convinced him that he should give baseball a shot. When joining the team, Ish was expecting a welcoming environment, and that is exactly what he found.
“I definitely expected it to be pretty chill because it is a club sport and not D1, and I just wanted to have some fun and learn how to play baseball,” Oganesyan said.
Ish knew the learning curve would not be easy but was up for the task. On the defensive side, he felt that he learned the basics fairly quickly, but stepping up to the plate offered much more of a challenge.
“Getting up to the plate and holding a baseball bat, it just took me so long to learn,” Oganesyan said.
In addition to the new sport, Ish found the team he was looking for on and off the field. He was embraced by the guys. Ryan Mitchell, captain and coach of the club, found Ish to be a spark they needed.
“It’s crucial every year to get new players,” Mitchell said. “When new players like Ish join the club, they push everyone to be their best, and because it was his first time playing Baseball, it brought the team together helping him perfect his mechanics which didn’t take long with the athlete he is.”
Ish pointed out that one of the highlights of his time with SMC Club Baseball was the teams first spring break trip to Los Angeles and getting a chance to really get to know the other guys on the team. Mitchell is complimentary of Ish’s ability to bring the team together utilizing his ambitious personality.
“He definitely brought out everyone’s competitiveness, whether on the field or during team bonding playing basketball, spikeball, or wiffle ball,” Mitchell said. “As a player, he was always a trustworthy second baseman and his final hit of his career was a screaming double to drive in two runs to help win our final game.”
Ish’s journey at SMC is coming to a close as he is set to graduate at the end of May. While his time with the Club Baseball team has ended, he will take away what he learned and apply it to life after graduation. Ish encourages anyone looking to try a new sport to check out club baseball.
“When I came out it was my first time playing a new sport,” Oganesyan said. “So I just wanted to try it and have some fun since college is all about learning who you are through new experiences, so if you want to try something new, I think club sports is a great way to start.”
