Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Senior Spotlight: Tristen Gagan

Friday, April 27, 2018
Photo by Josh Dodge

Southeast Senior infielder Tristen Gagan is approaching graduation, bringing his college baseball career to an end. The Redhawks still have 15 games remaining in the regular-season schedule, including Tennessee Tech this weekend, before the Ohio Valley Conference tournament begins May 22. We were able to catch up with Gagan and reflect on some of his season highlights including OVC Player of the Week.

Gagan was able to secure the OVC player of the week on March 12 due to his hot streak at the plate. Gagan batted .522 with three runs scored, followed by three doubles, a triple, one home run and 10 RBI in 5 games.

“I didn’t realize the week I had. I knew I was locked in, but I didn’t realize it ended up being what it was,” Gagan said. “It felt really good. I didn’t expect I was going to get it and it kind of came out of nowhere.”

Since transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M he has started 54 games at first base. In the 2017 season, he led the team with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs.

This season Gagan has five home runs and 43 RBIs. Gagan narrowly missed hitting the cycle when he went 4-for-5 that weekend, hitting a .870 batting percentage and .542 on-base percentage for the week.

“The RBIs were there because the guys in front of me had a really good weekend as well, and I got good pitches to hit, luckily everything fell,” Gagan said. I don’t see why I wouldn’t win more awards, the guys in front of me are doing really good and that helps me to say locked in.”

Gagan is set to graduate in May, but he doesn’t want his baseball career to end just yet.

“Obviously, I want to keep playing ball and go pro, I have been staying focused and not taking any days off,” Gagan said.

Gagan is hoping that his experience on the field will take him to the next level.

But for now, he’s said he’s trying to stay in the moment and concentrate on the task at hand, “I have played three years of college ball and I know how fast you can lose focus and how big of deal that is,” Gagan said. “The game is the same every day, but you gotta slow it down, and you can’t let it speed you up. You have to take a deep breath and step out of the box sometimes, you have to realize the game is going to come to you.”

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