Leading the Way
Lushkevich is the shortstop and the leadoff hitter for Hudson Valley, and through eight games this season, he is batting .461 with eight runs scored, four stolen bases and four RBIs.
“I think it’s because he’s improved his baseball IQ,” Head Coach Joey DiPiazza said.
In DiPiazza’s first full season as Head Coach of the Vikings, he and his coaching staff are trying something new.
“The batting average really isn’t important for us this year. We are more concerned with quality at-bats and he’s probably got the highest quality at-bat percentage on the team,” said DiPiazza.
In the offseason, Lushkevich signed a national letter of intent to play baseball at the University at Albany next year. He has been able to keep his focus on the present instead of looking forward to the future.
“I like to put everything I’ve got to every sport I play,” Lushkevich said. “Being a second year player, everyone looks to me to be a leader and I love it.”
DiPiazza said, “Whether it’s practice or a game, he comes every day and gives you everything he has.”
The 2012 campaign was Lushkevich’s first season with the Vikings and they had other leaders like Sean Geisel and Joe Amarosi. Since those two have departed the team, it’s now Lushkevich’s team.
“I wanted to be this team’s leader and I said that from the beginning,” said Lushkevich.
“The guys on the team look to him for that spark. He brings a lot of energy and a lot of leadership,” DiPiazza said “We want to improve every day as baseball players, as men, and student athletes, and he comes every day and really tries to improve on all of those things and we couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Lushkevich has a little motivation dating back to his senior year of high school.
“I got sick from Graves’ disease and dropped to 130 pounds. I couldn’t do any physical activities without shaking,” said Lushkevich. “I’ve come a long way since then and it’s all from hard work.”
Back in high school, Lushkevich was a two sport athlete. He played baseball and football at Saratoga and had high expectations before he was diagnosed with Graves’ disease.
“I was promised things and those were taken from me and that’s why I don’t let people make excuses,” Lushkevich said “I am a no excuses kind of guy and they see me working hard and they follow my footsteps.”
With his humbling experiences and his work ethic, only one piece of the puzzle is missing, and that is his love for baseball.
“I love that it’s so much more mental instead of physically demanding compared to other sports,” said Lushkevich. “I love baseball so much because you can fail more than you succeed and you can still be considered a great player.”
His passion in practice and during games on offense and defense, in the club house and on the field, rubs off on all of his teammates.
DiPiazza said, “That’s why he’s our captain. We go as Alex Lushkevich goes.”