Senior spotlight: Versatile Dawson Brock a key for Loyal baseball this spring

LOYAL - Dawson Brock was a spot reliever for the Loyal baseball team his first two seasons on the varsity roster. But with early-season arm troubles for one of the Greyhounds' veteran aces, Brock became a regular in the pitching rotation and responded. 

Brock finished with a 1.29 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched for the Greyhounds. It was part of a junior season in which he also had a .293 batting average and a .418 on-base percentage to earn first team all-Cloverbelt Conference East Division honors and a honorable mention all-district nod by the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association. 

Brock catches when he is not on the mound and also saw time at shortstop last season for the Greyhounds, who finished a game behind Greenwood and Neillsville for the conference title. He is a reason Loyal should be in the midst of the East Cloverbelt race again this year. 

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Brock, a utility player who saw time at every position but shortstop in his freshman season, recently sat down with USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin to talk about the wet and cold spring conditions, his thoughts on last season as well as his postgraduation plans, among other topics. 

It has been a rough spring weather-wise. How old does it get just being able to practice in the gym?

We're a bit of an antsy group but we like to have fun (in practice). I know the coaches are getting driven crazy just with all of us being inside. We are ready to be outside but with the Wisconsin spring, it's just how it is. We just have to make the best of it. 

Do you have a nickname which your friends, teammates or family members call you?

Not really. It's usually 'Daws' or just Dawson. 

What is your top memory or moment from your sports career?

Sophomore year winning the (Cloverbelt East) conference championship. That was a lot of fun along with going to the regional championship. That was a fun team that year. 

Is there a pitching performance in your career that stands out, too?

I would say it was in that sophomore year, too. I pitched two innings (in relief) against Owen-Withee to keep the score close and we ended up walking it off with a home run. That was my first win on varsity, so that one kind of sticks out. 

What is your go-to pitch?

I like working with the two-seam (fastball). My knuckle-curve is a nice secondary (pitch). 

Looking back at last year. What was that season like for you?

It was a big year. Our main pitcher (Riley Geiger) had a couple arm issues so I had to step up along with the rest of the team and I think we did a good job. It was just playing ball and having fun and I got rewarded (with the first-team all-conference honor) at the end. It was pretty cool to get that recognition. 

What do you like about this year's group?

We lost one or two (key) guys from last year but we have a lot of guys returning who can play varsity baseball ... and I think there is a lot of promise.

The Cloverbelt East always seems to be a battle. Last year you fell just short of the championship. How tough is the competition in the conference?

Every year we have a lot of competition in the Cloverbelt — Neillsville, Greenwood and then Gilman is getting better. Owen-Withee is always tough. Just a lot of good baseball teams and fierce competition. You can't go into any game thinking, 'This team can't knock you out.' You always see a couple upsets throughout the season. 

Do you feel you have the roster to win the conference this spring?

Absolutely. But I think there is a lot of teams that could win the conference. I think our team has a lot of potential.

Where is your dream vacation?

I would take a week wherever the World Series is and watch all seven games. That would be awesome. 

Do you have any pregame superstitions or routines?

The team in general does. We all play two-ball (in pregame warm-ups). As a team, that is our quirk. 

What is your postgraduation plan?

I was accepted to UW-Stout for computer science and applied mathematics. I am going to try out for (baseball) and if it happens, it happens. 

FAVORITES

Sport: Baseball.

Team: Milwaukee Brewers.

Player: Orlando Arcia. I like his work ethic. 

Movie: "Major League."

Music: Rock. 

App on phone: uHit. It's a (pitch recognitiion) training where you read if it's a ball or a strike. You have to tap if it's a strike. It's a training tool, but I lose hours on it.

Food or meal: Frozen pizza. A Jack's thick crust is always awesome.