Boys athlete of the week

// The Post-Gazette’s top male performer from the past seven days

The past week: Boehme hit for the cycle (single, double, two triples, home run) as Seton LaSalle defeated Serra, 11-2, to win the WPIAL Class 2A championship March 30. In the first round of the PIAA playoffs Monday, he went 3 for 4 with two RBIs in a 9-1 victory against Lakeview.

Check this out: Boehme has been on a tear in the postseason, hitting .667 (12 for 18) with eight RBIs in five games. He is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior first baseman who is now batting .461 (30 of 65) for the

season with 26 RBIs. Boehme transferred from Peters Township to Seton LaSalle at the start of his junior year.

Was that championship game the stuff that dreams are made of?

Definitely. I never came into the game expecting anything like that. I was just focused on whatever we needed to do to win. When I went up the last time, I didn’t know I needed a home run for the cycle. I realized it after I hit it.

So you weren’t trying to hit a home run?

No. I feel like if I was, I probably would’ve

been swinging out of my shoes.

Any nicknames for you after that day?

One of our coaches started calling me “Beach Ball Boehme.” He says I’m seeing the ball like a beach ball now.

Well there’s that pop song out now that goes, ‘Oh, she’s sweet but a psycho.’ Shouldn’t they just sing for you, ‘Oh, he hit for the cycle?’

Yeah, that fits perfectly actually (laugh).

That’s pretty good song making, isn’t it?

Yes, I’m impressed. I like it,

Your team starts only one senior and a number of freshmen. What were your expectations?

Since we were so young and I was a transfer, I didn’t know any of these guys. I didn’t know how good we’d be. Everybody thought maybe it would be a rebuilding year because we’re so young. But we started off the first 10 games and we won a lot of them. After that, we knew it could be something special and we knew age really didn’t matter. So you shouldn’t lose a game next year?

That’s the goal I hope so (laugh). I don’t want to think that. But if it happens, it happens.

Why’d you leave Peters Township?

I have four siblings and my two oldest both went to Seton. I have a sister that went to Peters. My parents didn’t really like how big Peters was. We felt everything wasn’t as close-knit. I went to a private school in middle school. They wanted me to find somewhere that maybe was a little smaller and I could find better relationships.