Student Throws Ceremonial Pitch at Salt Lake Bees Game
Nick Vlasnik (Class of 2025) started off the Salt Lake Bees game against the Tacoma Rainiers by throwing the game's ceremonial pitch.
On Sunday, August 4, 2024, our own Nick Vlasnik (Class of 2025) threw the ceremonial pitch at the Salt Lake Bees game against the Tacoma Rainiers.
When Nick received the email inviting him to throw the ceremonial pitch at an upcoming Salt Lake Bees Game, he was shocked. “I was very surprised to be selected to throw the opening pitch at the game!” said Nick. “I actually re-read the email I received twice because I was so surprised.”
After arriving at Smith’s Ballpark, Nick made his way to the pitch. “I had to go into the field through a separate entrance and walked through the very bottom of the complex,” he explained. “[I] got to enter through the team’s dugout which was a very cool experience.”
When asked about the pitch, Nick shared “Throwing the opening pitch was a unique experience. [It was] a little bit nerve wracking because I had never done it before. It was very fun.”
Though this was his first experience with this aspect of baseball, Nick is very familiar with the sport. “I started playing tee-ball when I was four years old,” he explained. “I played for my elementary team through fifth grade and played travel baseball while in middle school. Then, I played center field all throughout high school. I was a first team all-district player in high school.”
After high school, Nick branched out. “In college I played water polo instead of baseball, earning first team all Ohio [in] three of the four seasons that I played,” he said. “Even though I wasn’t playing baseball, I was still using my arm to throw quite often.”
Alongside Nick, 40 other Roseman students were awarded with free tickets to attend the game. “Being at the baseball game with my peers was a fun experience,” he said. “Being in dental school, [it] seems like we don’t often have enough time to spend with each other outside of school. It was very fun to hang out with other students in a non-academic setting.”
When asked what he liked most about this experience, he said, “The game itself was a great time. I always love watching baseball in person! It was even more fun to share the experience with others from my school.”