Ben Truby proudly continues the lineage of Boone Grove catchers.
Truby took over behind the plate as a freshman last season after the graduation of standout Ryan Pierce, who also started as a freshman when the Wolves won the Class 2A state title in 2018.
Given the circumstances, Truby had some uncertainty in his mind. But it didn’t take long for him to prove he belonged.
“It was awesome,” he said. “I was nervous. It was a big responsibility, and I had big shoes to fill from Ryan Pierce. But I felt confident. All of my teammates were really backing me up. They were like, ‘Hey, you’re the best guy here. You got this.’ They were great to me. That helped me not be nervous.
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“Drew Murray was a guy who really helped me gain confidence last year. That guy really helped.”
Truby posted modest numbers last season, hitting .300 with 13 RBIs. But he has made a great leap forward this season, both offensively and defensively, for the Wolves (13-4, 5-1).
The 5-foot-10 Truby was hitting .457 with 20 RBIs entering a Porter County Conference game against Tri-Township on Friday. He went 2-for-4 with a double out of the No. 3 spot in the lineup in shorthanded Boone Grove’s 7-5 loss on the road against Valparaiso on Thursday.
“I’ve just been seeing the fastball really well,” he said. “Big improvement from last year. I’ve just been a lot more confident, just trusting my hands, feeling really comfortable in the box. And when my teammates hit, it’s motivation for me. If guys get on base, I want to give other guys opportunities to hit too.
“Swinging a lot better, throwing a lot harder behind the plate, receiving’s been a lot better. The biggest thing for me was just trusting my swing. Last year I switched a lot of things up, and it didn’t work for me. I’m just trusting my approach, and it’s been working out for me.”
Boone Grove coach Doug Hoover praised Truby’s balanced game.
“He’s just a solid kid all the way around,” Hoover said. “He’s a fantastic backstop. When you look at how many teams have had steals against us … he shuts down the running game, which helps us significantly.
“He just has a great approach at the plate, probably better than any other player on this team. The way he comes up with an approach, an idea — whether I need a bunt, or I need a ground ball to the right side, or it’s time to give him a shot to hit one in the gap — he does it. He’s just a hardworking kid. You’re not going to find a better kid with his attitude and work ethic.”
Trey Pitcock, a senior who is Boone Grove’s top pitcher with a 5-0 record and a 2.66 ERA in 26 ? innings, also can attest to Truby’s multifaceted game.
“He’s great behind the plate,” Pitcock said. “He’s awesome. We have a nice rhythm. He knows where I want to throw. His glove is always there. I feel like he gives me a few strikes with his framing. I love that.
“And it seems like he always throws a guy out. He had a big one (Wednesday). Every game, it seems like he has a big one.”
Pitcock also referenced that 11-10 loss to South Central in eight innings on Wednesday to note Truby’s offense.
“Dude’s hitting the lights out of the ball,” Pitcock said. “My favorite part about Ben is like (Wednesday) night, we were down one to South Central, second and third, when Ben came up, I wanted Ben up. I knew he was going to deliver. I knew he was going to do what he does.”
The Wolves, with three losses in their past four games, haven’t been deterred.
“I told our guys at our first callout meeting, this is a team with a significant amount of talent, and they’re showing it,” Hoover said. “Every team has some off games. But once we’re back at full strength and I have the full squad, this is a very talented baseball team.”
As the regular season winds down, the Wolves have their sights set on the PCC Tournament and competing as they move up to the Class 3A Griffith Sectional, one that includes such teams as Andrean, Hanover Central and Highland.
“Our energy is really high,” Truby said. “We’re always confident, and we always trust in ourselves.”