Rummel has a district MVP who made the most of his chance at the top of the lineup

Rummel senior Ruben Ramirez began the baseball season batting leadoff but nearly got put at the bottom of the order when one of his teammates returned from injury.

“Thank goodness I didn’t,” Rummel coach Frank Cazeaux said. “I decided it was best to leave Ruben there.”

Why fix something that isn’t broken?

Rummel won the Catholic League championship and reached the LHSAA Division I select state tournament with Ramirez reaching base after more than half his plate appearances (.561 on-base percentage) and leading the team in steals (30) and runs scored (46).

District 9-5A coaches liked what they saw from Ramirez enough to select him as the district MVP, quite a change for the former part-time starter who batted in the nine-hole spot as a junior.

A hamate bone injury to previous leadoff hitter Gavin Kennedy in the fall caused Cazeaux to put Ramirez, a left fielder, at the top of the batting order. Kennedy returned after eight games and Cazeaux nearly moved Ramirez back to his former No. 9 spot in the lineup.

“The leadoff spot is great for him,” said Cazeaux, whose team will face John Curtis in a state semifinal set for 2 p.m. Thursday at McMurry Park in Sulphur. “It gave him more at-bats, and he gets on base for (LSU signee) Mikey (Ryan) and the guys that follow him.”

Cazeaux said the competitive edge comes from a player who also is a standout on the football field. Ramirez led coach Nick Monica’s team in catches (47), yards receiving (844) and touchdown receptions (five).

“He was open to doing different things,” Monica said. “You might get receivers sometimes that want to catch the ball, but he was always open to blocking or lining up in the backfield and doing different things.”

Ramirez spoke recently at Rummel Day, the annual celebration of school founder Archbishop Joseph Francis Rummel. The three speakers at the event are a graduate, an upperclassman and an eighth grader. Ramirez spoke about keeping a positive attitude.

“Some people come to school or come to practice not wanting to do it,” Ramirez said. “I come out here or go to school and honor that I get to come here and be part of the legacy. I’m just kind of excited about everything.”

Ramirez, a recent Loyola commitment, played a big part in the Raiders’ win against Curtis that completed a two-game district sweep in March. After Rummel ace Giancarlo Arencibia threw a no-hitter in the first game, Ramirez reached base three times (two walks, one hit), stole three bases and scored two runs in a 6-1 win.

Arencibia, a Tulane signee, noted how much effort Ramirez put toward his two sports.

“Even with football, he’s always been a hard-working kid and he’s always eager to be better,” Arencibia said. “He does that well.”

Ramirez made the most of his chance at being a leadoff hitter, “just finding a way to get on base for the guys behind me,” he said. “Whether it’s getting walked, single, double, triple, whatever it is, finding ways to get on.”

The state semifinals are next.

“I’m ready to keep going,” Ramirez said.