This weekend’s Bowling Green-Toledo baseball series isn’t the first time UT third baseman Trey Wright has seen the Falcons play in 2024.
And, no, that is not in reference to the previous meeting between the archrivals.
Wright has been a spectator at Steller Field for multiple BGSU games this season, but the current Rocket has a valid excuse for crossing into enemy territory — his brother, Garrett, is a freshman catcher for the Falcons.
“It was definitely weird,” Trey said, “and I’ll certainly never put on a Bowling Green shirt.”
The Wrights were back together again Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for a three-game series between the Rockets and Falcons, a BG sweep.
In attendance were several members of the Wright family and friends. Mom wore a house/divided shirt. Her parents — both in their 90s but still spry — had shirts with their grandsons’ names. Even the dog has a harness that says Go Rockets and Go Falcons.
“It’s nothing but fun,” Trey and Garrett’s mom, Jennifer, said.
The Wrights have deep roots at Toledo, with Trey playing baseball and sister, Erinn, a former Rocket softball player and MAC player of the year. Garrett always thought he would follow in their footsteps. But he and his brother formerly played the same position (catcher) and the ensuing competition would have created uneasiness for the winner and the loser.
Although, at least according to Garrett, he knows how it would have ended.
“I think I would have beat him out, but I didn’t want to have that awkward Thanksgiving dinner,” Garrett said.
So he opted for something only one spot below on the awkward meter — Garrett committed to big brother’s rival.
“[Trey] was like, ‘I talked to that coach [Kyle] Hallock. I’m going to just commit there,’” Jennifer said. “And that was it.”
It’s been a freshman season to remember for the Massillon native. The former first-team All-Ohio selection finished the regular season with a team-high .393 batting average, the second-best OPS (1.113), 28 runs batted in, six home runs, eight doubles, and 37 runs.
The immediate impact from Wright wasn’t completely unforeseen, but the season BG put together was entirely unpredictable. The program went bust four years ago, and then it won 17 consecutive conference games this season and won the championship going away.
“It’s just rewarding because we’ve been working hard for three going on four years with this program,” BG coach Kyle Hallock said. “We’ve just been wondering which group is going to do it. Who are the guys that are going to be able to get us over the top? We feel that Bowling Green State University baseball has won and has had a great tradition before. It’s our job to restore the order.”
This is the first time Trey and Garrett have been able to share a baseball field. They are four years apart, missing being high school teammates by one season. The only reason the brothers can have this experience is because of an injury Trey suffered in 2021 that resulted in a redshirt. And it could happen again next year because of Trey’s extra coronavirus season.
“We’re not rooting against each other, but everybody knows you want to beat your brother,” said Trey, who is hitting .263 with three homers, 26 RBIs, and five doubles.
The one positive about Trey and Garrett playing for opposite yet nearby schools is the ease in which their parents (and each other) can attend games. When UT and BG are at home, the Wrights can see both sons’ games. It did create one snafu, though, as Jennifer forgot to take her Toledo hat off when she went from UT to BG to watch the Falcons.
“Of course, all the parents noticed. They were like, ‘Hey, burn that hat!’” she said.
Next week, the whole family will be at Crushers Stadium in Avon for the MAC tournament. And, if only one of the brothers makes the championship series, the other will be watching from the stands.
“It’s not like we’re rooting against each other,” Trey said, “but I think we’ll take it very seriously. I think we’ll keep it pretty business-like.”
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