Baseball is more than just a way to kill time for senior Tucker Wilke. It’s a way of life. Wilke has been playing since he was three years old.

“I just started playing whiffle ball in the front yard with the boys, and I haven’t found a reason to stop,” Wilke said.

Although the 2015 season was rough for Wilke’s team, the Chargers, he said his love of the game and hopes of playing baseball at the college level is what has kept him swinging the bat and hitting dingers.

“I couldn’t imagine my life without baseball,” Wilke said. “It is such a big part of who I am.”

America’s greatest pastime, despite the love the players have, has been de-prioritized by children now days , and Wilke said that breaks his heart.

“I do everything I can to get the youngins’ out on the field,” he said. “When they see how much fun I’m having they want to get out and give it a try, too. Watching these kids learn to love the game as much as I do is so rewarding.”