Gully’s Glove, Bat, Arm Key to Title

Fayette Co. Record’s Athlete of the Week

Fayetteville sophomore baseball player Travis Gully can now call himself a state champion. Gully played a large part in the Lions’ title run, notching a save in the regional final game with a strikeout against D’Hanis in order to punch his team a ticket to Dell Diamond. He also closed out the state title game against Kennard by fanning the last batter. “He came in and did the job”, said Fayetteville head baseball coach Clint Jaeger. “Great performance, especially in the regional game. He started the game and then we had to come back to him at the end. He only had 10 pitches left, so it was pretty much all or nothing. He’s always been our rock. He’s confident out there and he displays that. I think it makes everybody confident around him.” Gully contributed with his glove at shortstop as well, laying out to snag a ball in mid air that was hit across the middle in the state semifinal against Nazareth.

On the offensive side, he reached base four times in the title game. Gully’s clutch nature has helped bring a state trophy back to Fayetteville while earning the nod for this edition’s Player of the Week.

Question: What was your favorite part about playing at Dell Diamond?

Answer: “My favorite part was getting to grow strong with the teammates and playing as a team at Dell Diamond. Just seeing how kids react. Walking on the field and it being huge, grass perfect, and everything. The field just being super nice. Also playing shortstop at Dell Diamond on an actual big league field has been a dream of mine for a while.”

Question: How are the freshmen and sophomores able to provide so much energy for the team?

Answer: “I know me, Reid (Gross), and Logan (Fritsch), for a while there, were the biggest energy givers in the dugout. Especially Parker (Vitek) and me, we would just try to get everybody fired up. Get everybody off the bench. Everybody up screaming and shouting. Big plays in the game help with that energy.”

Question: What’s a memory from the state championship run that you will remember the most?

Answer: “Probably my diving catch. Just seeing the ball coming at me and taking two or three steps, diving for it and catching it, and everybody going crazy in the stands.”

Question: Who’s an MLB shortstop that you idolize?

Answer: “Bo Bichette”

Question: What’s your goto meal on game day?

Answer: “Either chicken and rice or salmon.”

Question: How do you prepare yourself when going into close on the mound?

Answer: “I take a chug of Red Bull in the dugout, slam it on my arm, then I get Coach Jaeger to slap me on the back really hard.”

Question: What would you say is the best snack at a baseball concession stand?

Answer: “Probably popcorn.”

Question: Do you play any other sports besides baseball?

Answer: “Tennis”

Question: Who’s your favorite cartoon character?

Answer: “Homer Simpson”

Question: How will this year’s baseball season affect next year’s baseball season?

Answer: “Just play as hard as we can next year because we want to do the same thing.”

Gully is part of the elite young core for Fayetteville baseball that has already made history in a legacy that is just beginning.