MEDICINE HAT, AB — It was a no-brainer for Zack Gray to join the Medicine Hat Mavericks for the 2018 campaign.
Arriving in the Gas City wasn’t so easy.
“I’m from Ohio, I drove down to Oklahoma for a wedding,” said the Mavericks first-baseman. “That’s a 10 hour drive. Then I headed from Oklahoma straight up to here driving. It was about a 26 hour trip, I stopped one time in North Dakota and got back on the road. Now I’m here and I couldn’t be happier.”
It was quite the weekend for the Henderson State senior, showing his commitment to a team (and a league) he’s never played in before.
Gray linked up with the crew just a few days ago and made his official debut in red and white on Wednesday. The product of Hamilton, OH batted in a pair of runs in the Mavs 8-5 victory over Lethbridge in front of nearly 1,000 fans at Athletic Park.
“I thought it went pretty well, usually I’m a slow starter so it was good to get out there and have a couple hits under my belt early on,” added Gray, who went 2/5 at the plate and slotted fourth in the batting order.
On the field, Gray secured six put-outs and three assists.
But why Medicine Hat of all places?
“Coach (Andrew) Murphy is my coach at Henderson State, that’s where I go to school,” smiled Gray. “That’s where I got the connection.”
“He’s a really good guy to have on a team,” added Murphy, who just wrapped up his fourth season as an assistant coach for Henderson State. “A lot of good energy, he knows the game, he’s just a really good player.”
Having already helped his team find the win-column, Gray’s life in the WMBL is off to a roaring start. Now comes the challenge of adjusting to a city and community he’s never experienced before.
“Really it’s just been a blur,” he said when asked about his thoughts on Medicine Hat. “I haven’t really had a chance to explore the city. I’m sure I’ll get there, I have a whole summer.”
