Ryan Gray Named D-III Baseball All-American and Pitcher of the Year

By Trevor Griffin

Ryan Gray, Trinity baseball’s left-handed pitcher, was recently named Division III Baseball America Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

A Tucson, Arizona native, Gray, 21, knows how to keep his cool on the mound and has showcased his skills over the past three years on the baseball team. He finished last year with a flawless 8-0 record while being credited with two saves. In addition, he pitched 67.2 innings with a 2.00 ERA, leading the team in strikeouts by fanning 75 batters over the course of the season.

Gray was also a key component to the National Championship run made by the Tigers last season. “My favorite experience from my baseball career so far has to be making it to the College World Series and seeing the support that we got from everyone at the school as we pursued our goals of winning a National Championship,” he said.

Led by Head Coach Tim Scannell, the Tigers ended up winning the Conference and Regional Championships and went on to the National Championship tournament. The Tigers eventually finished last season with a record of 40-14, setting a record of single season wins.​ With that, ​Trinity’s baseball team made it to the Division III College World Series for the first time in the school’s history.

So far this year, Gray has pitched in 51.1 innings and has allotted a solid 3.51 ERA while coming away with a 6-3 record. As one of the key players to Tiger’s success, Gray has come through for the team once again in a position with a significant amount of pressure and high expectations.

Teammate and fellow senior pitcher Mike Walker ​has a lot of respect for Gray: "He's been a huge part of this team in so many ways and he is one of the most important parts that makes us what we are. He's a great teammate and a great friend of mine and I'm so glad to have played alongside him."​

Now in his senior year, Gray is also dedicated to his study of accounting as a business major at Trinity. “Baseball has taught me discipline and time management,” he said. “Being a college athlete at a prestigious academic university has its challenges but baseball has been a guiding influence that has taught me skills I’ll use throughout the rest of my life.”

Gray is planning to graduate from Trinity in December.