Could Wetzel, who had played infield all season, catch the following afternoon against Tunkhannock? Through all the activity that night, Wetzel immediately responded.

Of course he could.

Wetzel is Hughesville’s Mr. Everything. He has caught, pitched, played second base, shortstop and third base. Whatever the Spartans need, Wetzel will provide it.

“I’ve tried to step up for them,” Wetzel said. “I like to be an example to the younger guys, and helping them out with anything that they need.

Trent Wetzel of Hughesville triples in the fifth inning against Warrior Run in Hughesville Wednesday afternoon. Warrior Run won, 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“He very easily could say I’ve settled into this position and say no. But you ask him to do anything and he says, ‘Yup, I’ll do it,'” Kish said. “He just goes out and battles. He’s very unselfish.”

He’s very good, too.

Wetzel is among the area’s offensive leaders in several categories, including batting average, hitting .564 with 31 hits and 20 runs. The versatile senior is a big reason a young Hughesville team has again reached the postseason, going 10-7 and winning its last two games.

Monday, Wetzel went 4 for 4 with a double, two RBIs and three runs in a 14-4 win against Central Columbia. It was a quintessential Wetzel performance with him playing three positions and hitting a walk-off single as Hughesville reached 10 wins for the 16th time in 17 seasons.

“Graduation did hit us pretty hard last year, but our expectations didn’t change. We put in the same amount of work we’ve always had,” Wetzel said. “We’re just trying to stay to the standard that’s been around Hughesville for a while.”

Landon Tillson of Warrior Run tags out Trent Wetzel of Hughesville at home plate during the fifth inning in Hughesville Wednesday afternoon. Warrior Run won, 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Wetzel has played a huge role in building on that standard. And that goes beyond his production. One of the few senior starters back from last year’s team, Wetzel has set a positive tone through his dedicated effort before and during the season.

A three-year starter, Wetzel knows it’s not just about what he does but what the team does. Through the countless hours honing his craft; through his selfless approach and willingness to play anywhere, Wetzel has become a mentor the team can emulate. Simply put, Wetzel has made his teammates better.

“A big part of the offseason is putting in the work and hitting almost every day,” Wetzel said. “You can’t win in the offseason but you can almost lose it there.”

“We knew going into the season it was going to be interesting how we put everything together. Through everything, he’s stayed super consistent,” Kish said. “He hasn’t gotten too high or too low. He’s been a great voice on the team.”

That has been vital because Hughesville hit some bumps in the road following a 4-0 start. The Spartans lost some heart-breakers and won some thrillers. What Wetzel has done and helped his teammates do is forget all that. It’s about focusing on the next pitch or play. Those are the only ones that matter.

Adopting that mentality has helped Wetzel produce 11 multi-hit games. He also has reached base in all but one game, stolen seven bases and hit in three different positions. After taking turns at lead-off and third, Wetzel now is hitting second and flourishing there, setting the stage following lead-off hitter Dylan McConnell and helping create opportunities for the middle of the lineup.

“That is one kid who I can say has no cheapies on the stat sheet. He’s been a line drive machine,” Kish said. “One thing I challenged him with in the offseason was to be a guy who can get more extra-base hits and increase his slugging percentage and he’s done both.”

That continued showing against Central as Wetzel smoked a double as part of his second four-hit game this season. With many collegiate seasons now over, several of Wetzel’s former teammates, including his brother Tanner who is Lycoming, attended.

In a sense, it was a reunion because Wetzel started alongside of so many of them the last few years. He almost always played up throughout his youth baseball days as well. On top of hitting so well, Wetzel also closed out the game, throwing three scoreless innings. It felt like it was one part tribute to his former teammates and one part boost to his current ones.

“It seemed like all the guys he played with the last two years were here and he hits a walk-off and it was almost like it was meant to be,” Kish said. “He hasn’t showed a lot of emotion all year but he was really emotionally charged and it was like you could see the leadership coming out.”

Wetzel will continue exuding that leadership because he knows the work is not done. The Spartans are scheduled to play NTL-I champion Athens today as they try improving their playoff seeding. Whatever the result there, Hughesville is playoff-bound and will be trying to make some noise there after some wondered they would even get there entering the season.

Wetzel is one of many players who made sure the Spartans did again reach this destination. He does not care what position he plays, where he hits, or whatever the situation is. Wetzel simply wants to win.

Put all those qualities together and they shine an even better light upon Wetzel than his impressive statistics do.

“You can see the improvement, especially in the dugout, the last two games. We’ve been a lot more vocal, a lot more engaged in the game,” Wetzel said. “I feel like when we play loose and together and are always picking each other up, we’re a really good team.

“Watching the team grow and helping them out, that really feels good to me.”