Ross leads Folsom American to TOC finale

The Folsom American League Major White Sox reached the championship game of the TOC and before losing to Woodcreek, 1-0. The White Sox had a great run, winning four games before the one heartbreaking loss. The White Sox defeated the Maidu Yankees, 5-0, Roseville B, 12-2, the Lakeside Yankees, 12-3, and the Woodcreek Pirates, 11-0, during the tournament. Derek Bjork had nine RBIs in the tournament, while Jake Fucci hit four doubles. Grady Geissinger was magnificent on the mound, finishing with an ERA of 0.00 in 11 innings with 13 strikeouts, while allowing only seven hits and a walk. But the team's best performance went to Luke Ross, who led the team in hitting with a .625 batting average, 10 hits, five RBI, eight runs scored and a stolen base. His batting average, hits and runs scored were team highs. He also tied for the lead in innings pitched with 11. His ERA was 1.27 and he struck out 11 and won two games. "He was amazing," said coach Billy Geissinger. Folsom Telegraph: What are your hopes/plans after graduating high school? Luke Ross: I would love to play sports. I like baseball, soccer, basketball, and golf. FT: Do sports run in your family? LR: Yes. My sister does swimming. My dad mountain bikes and does triathlons. My mom played sports when she was younger, but now she goes to Pilates and goes on walks. FT: How long have you been playing baseball and how did you get your start in it? LR: This was my eighth year. I started playing when I was 4 years old. My parents signed me up for every sport when I was little. Baseball became one of my favorites. FT: Have you ever been involved in any other sports? LR: I still play soccer, basketball, and I'm getting into golf. I might want to try volleyball in school next year. FT: What do you enjoy about baseball? LR: I get to play with my friends and it's a fun game. Hitting is fun. I've also had good coaches who have taught me how to handle winning and losing with a good attitude. FT: What positions do you play? LR: Mostly pitcher and middle infield. FT: Do you like to pitch best or do you like playing an everyday position? Why? LR: I like both equally. Sometimes pitching can feel stressful, but when I'm on, it is fun to strike batters out. It's also exciting to play an everyday position because it's fun to field the ball and get runners out. FT: What do you enjoy about pitching? LR: I like being part of every play. It's fun to throw curve balls. FT: You played great in the TOC tournament. I imagine you were feeling pretty locked in at the plate and on the mound? LR: Yeah. It felt like everything was working for pitching. When I was batting, I knew I had good momentum, but I was trying to just take it one at-bat at a time. FT: What was your favorite subject or class in school? LR: I really liked science and social studies this year. I had awesome teachers, Mr. Robinette and Mr. Monahan. They made those subjects fun and interesting. I wish I could have them again. FT: Do you have a favorite genre of music or a favorite singer/group/rapper? LR: No. I don't listen to much music. I like Eminem sometimes. FT: Favorite food? LR: Homemade Tostada pizza. FT: Do you have any pets? Tell us about them. LR: Yes. I have a dog named Maverick. He's a golden retriever who is a little chunky and loves to play. He's not good at giving the ball back. He likes me to chase after him when he has a toy. He also loves to cuddle. FT: Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time? LR: I like to play any sports, video games, and hang out with my friends. FT: What inspires you in sports? LR: Having something to do and having something to work on and get better at. Watching the Giants players work as a team inspires me to be a good teammate and have fun while playing baseball. FT: What job or profession do you hope to have some day? LR: It would be cool to be a professional athlete and play on the Giants. If that doesn't work out, I have no idea. I'm 11.