Almost four years ago, a freshman at LSU could not have seen himself playing for the Loyola baseball team, proposing to his girlfriend or owning a franchise.
And now that he’s done them all, communications senior Ryan Moity is glad he transferred his freshman year and stayed to grow in the Jesuit tradition. Now, he is excited about life after Loyola.
“No Ordinary Man,” the song that plays when Moity approaches the batter’s box, represents his excitement.
“I picked it because it’s different,” he said. While other players walk to the plate to hard rock or rap, Moity walks to the plate the way the song sounds: proud and steady.
He said when he transferred to Loyola, he noticed a difference in his professors’ commitment. Moity said that Lisa Martin, communications instructor, Melissa Geraci, assistant professor of communications, and Mary McCay, English chairperson and professor, made a lasting impression on him.
“I got a great education here,” he said.
Moity credited Loyola with his development in baseball as well. He said that then coach Don Moreau and current coach Gregg Mucerino both strived for excellence, which helped develop his character and self-discipline.
He said that the hard work and dedication of the baseball team is a good argument for having sports scholarships at Loyola.
“One hundred and eight athletes travel around the country with ‘Loyola’ on their jerseys, and carry themselves under the Jesuit tradition. We deserve scholarships,” he said.
Moity’s dedication and belief in Loyola was punctuated when the Wolfpack played LSU, his former school, last year.
“We were down only 8-6 in the eighth inning,” before LSU rallied in the late innings to win 21-6 he said.
“No one remembers how close we were. But we knew how close we were. We knew how good we could have been last year,” Moity said.
He said it angers him that people focused only on the loss instead of the fact that a small university was on the heels of a national powerhouse.
“No Ordinary Man” also makes him feel as if “the pitcher can never beat me.” Moity’s stats reflect his confidence and persistence. Moity put up his best numbers last season. He led the Wolfpack in slugging percentage, hits, RBIs, doubles and triples. In 2001 and 2002, his freshman and sophomore years, Moity was in the top five of almost every category.
Pete Rose, known by his fans as Charlie Hustle, is Moity’s all-time favorite professional player.
“No one else played and treated the game like he did,” he said. Moity has hustled around the bases to grab 47 career doubles and 18 triples.
He also identifies himself with Cal Ripken, Jr., who holds the record for consecutive games played.
“I’ve had many injuries myself but played for the team,” he said.
Moity said that his most memorable baseball moment happened his sophomore year when the Wolfpack won the conference title.
“I scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the eleventh,” he said. “There’s no feeling like that.”
“No ordinary man” is also a reminder to him that there are things beyond baseball, Moity said. Two years ago at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, Moity proposed to his girlfriend.
“I was nervous,” he said. “It took six months to plan.”
The couple will graduate from Loyola together, and they have a wedding date set for June 19.
Moity purchased a Wing Zone franchise in December and plans on running that upon graduation.
And “No Ordinary Man” will be playing there too.
Chris Anderson can be reached at [email protected].
