Shawnee Heights baseball standout Deacon Pomeroy excels in the 'most challenging' position

TOPEKA — Amidst the popcorn and crack of the bat, the mound is where the eye gravitates the most at a baseball game.

“Who’s pitching tonight?” is often heard around the stands at any local field. At Shawnee Heights, the attention turns to the dish.

Deacon Pomeroy is a towering 6-foot-4 catcher and the top player for the Thunderbirds. His ability to block pitches, throw runners out and make impressive grabs has made him one of the best players in the state.

Washburn Rural track and field: Josh Sulzen-Watson remained patient through injury to become top thrower

How a fearless Pomeroy plays 'one of the most challenging positions in sports'

The junior is fearless.

Pomeroy threw off his mask and tracked down a pop fly in a game against Washburn Rural earlier this season. The ball kept fading to the backstop, where slipped and ran into the concrete barricade. He simply brushed himself off and kept going as the crowd reacted in applause for his efforts.

“It is one of the most challenging positions in sports,” Pomeroy said. “You have to guide and lead in a different type of way than a quarterback. You have to try to communicate on a big field and get your pitcher to trust you. If there is a bad catcher back there, your pitcher doesn’t trust you, the whole team doesn’t trust you.”

Last winter, Pomeroy was also a starter and key player for the basketball team that qualified for the state tournament. Basketball wasn’t his first love, it was baseball and always will be.

“My first day out of the hospital, I was at my brother’s game,” Pomeroy laughed. “I’ve been with baseball for my whole life.”

Seaman track and field: Aaron Merritt's 'work ethic', Ryin Miller's drive push the duo to success

Pomeroy brothers and their love of baseball

Pomeroy has tried to emulate his brothers, Dawson and Dayton, as often as possible. He started playing baseball because of them and when he saw them play for Shawnee Heights, he wanted to do the same.

“Most people want to be like their older siblings and that was me growing up,” he said with a smile. “They played for Heights and they had really good teams and that really motivated me.”

It’s been a struggle of a season for Shawnee Heights as they have hovered around .500 and haven’t been able to string together more than two consecutive wins. Injuries have stalled the roster, but Pomeroy is confident that the team is heading in the right direction as the playoffs approach.

“It feels like that we can beat anyone, but we can also get beat by anyone,” he said. “We are trying to stay positive because a lot can happen and we are excited to get going and turn it around.”

Closing out games has been difficult for the Thunderbirds. In 20 games, they have allowed 15 runs in the seventh inning or later. It’s something that has been talked about through the dugout and is an area of improvement that will happen, according to Pomeroy.

“We have also just not had very timely hitting right now,” Pomeroy explained. “Hopefully come playoff time, everyone is just on and we can get those timely hits that we’ve been needing all year.”

Vote: Who is the Topeka area's high school athlete of the week for April 29-May 4?

Pomeroy will continue his career in college at Oklahoma State

Leadership is a quality that comes naturally to Pomeroy. The catcher often comes to the mound to speak to his pitchers to settle them down. He speaks with confidence in details that allow you to believe that he is in control of the situation. It’s one of a few attributes that made him jump off of the radar to college coaches.

In October, Pomeroy committed to Oklahoma State to play his college ball. Although a junior, he explained that it was the right decision because of the Cowboys’ quality program and excellent coaching staff.

“We had a visit set up and we met the coaches and they brought me in like family,” Pomeroy said. “It was really welcoming and I just saw myself with most of the guys on the field. They have been there and done it several times, it’s promising and is the place that I want to be.”

For now, Oklahoma State can wait. But Pomeroy’s commitment is just a testament to his hard work and belief in himself. Now, he must continue to carry those same characteristics to the field as Shawnee Heights looks to make a late-season run in the playoffs.

Liam Keating covers high school sports for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Deacon Pomeroy, Shawnee Heights baseball eye KSHSAA playoff run