LOS FRESNOS – There was a well-deserved feeling of accomplishment for Los Fresnos pitcher/infielder Sidney Moore on Monday.
Since he was 3 years old hitting wiffle balls off a tee, Moore has been working toward a lengthy baseball career. He spent endless hours during the offseason honing his skills with his dad, at camps and on travel teams. He shined defensively at a number of positions for the Los Fresnos Falcons and was consistent at the plate.
All of Moore’s hard work came to fruition when he signed to play for Schreiner University in Kerrville. The District 32-6A first-team pitcher and second-team third baseman will be playing for Mountaineers coach Ryan Brisbin in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division III level.
“It feels amazing. My parents sacrificed so much so I could have this moment, and it’s all pretty special,” Moore said. “Four years ago I came to Joseph Munoz’s signing and I remember thinking, ‘I want that to be me in four years.’ Since I was 8 years old I remember sitting down at night and praying, ‘Please God let me become a professional baseball player when I grow up.’ It’s just one more step toward that path.”
Moore plans to study sports management at Schreiner and wants to be a sports agent when his career is complete. A former Falcons teammate, Lee Trevino, plays for the Mountaineers and inspired Moore to look into the program. Moore said he’ll have the chance to compete for time as a pitcher and position player in college.
Falcons coach Rene Morales praised Moore for being able to come into tough situations and do what was needed to help the team win. Moore pitched the lion’s share of the innings during the regular season and closed playoff contests, and notched a 2.13 ERA, five wins and a team-high 39 strikeouts. He boasted a .906 fielding percentage and a .330 batting average with 18 RBIs.
“Anytime we got the lead and our pitchers were in a tight situation, hands down, all the coaches said, ‘Let’s bring Sidney in.’ He was a big part of our success. He did it all for us,” Morales said. “He did all the little things right and was the quiet leader for our team. He puts the work in. It’s always great to see another kid go play college ball, and he’s going to be successful at that level.”
Moore said his baseball career taught him “when you get tired, keep going,” and that mentality instilled after countless hours of practice has him feeling prepared to take on a new level of the sport he loves. He thanked his brother, grandparents, coaches and teammates for their support.
But most of all, Moore thanked his parents for all they did to help him reach his goals.
“Thanks to my mom for working her butt off during the summers so I could play travel ball, buying the expensive (equipment), hotel fees, gas. Thank you to my dad for every day during the summer, pushing me to get a workout at the field in. … He would hit me hundreds, and I mean hundreds, of ground balls a day, and the field we practiced on wasn’t the best, so if I could field them there I can do it anywhere, and it really helped,” Moore said.
