Newsday Athlete of the Week is Division baseball's Matt Bolton
Division’s Matt Bolton is 9-for-12 with 11 runs, eight RBIs and three home runs in three games. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Matt Bolton sets the tempo for every Division baseball game.
The senior has batted leadoff since his sophomore year and the defense has felt his impact early in his final season.
“He’s intimidating,” coach Tom Tuttle said. “You put him on and it’s going to be a double, possibly a triple.”
And maybe even a home run. On Monday, Bolton went 3-for-3 with two home runs, three RBIs and four runs in a 12-0 win over Bethpage and had three hits in the Dragons’ third shutout victory against Plainedge on Thursday.
“I like the fact that I not only get to start the game off on a high note, but hopefully I can get some guys RBIs too,” Bolton said.
Tuttle, who is currently in his 16th season, said Bolton is the only true freshman he has brought up to varsity to bat in his lineup.
“I don’t call freshman up, but his talent was undeniable,” Tuttle said. “In one of his first games, he faced a guy from Manhasset throwing 90. He stood in there like he was a senior and hit a bullet right up the middle. I knew he was a tremendous athlete then.”
The 6-foot, 175-pound centerfielder and Newsday’s Athlete of the Week acknowledged that having that freshman season elevated his mental game.
“Having that experience playing against top teams was tremendous. I’m relaxed when I get up there now,” Bolton said. “My teammates have my back on everything, so it allows me to have fun and play how I’m supposed to.”
Tuttle noted that Bolton’s IQ has improved since then, too.
“He’s like a coach himself,” Tuttle said. “I listen to his feedback because I can learn just as much from him as he hopefully does from me. He loves the game and he’s got a great IQ and that’s why he’s a special player. He’s also never satisfied which is key.”
Through three games for the Dragons, Bolton is 9-for-12 with 11 runs, eight RBIs and three home runs. He finished with seven home runs last season, but the dissatisfaction of losing by two runs in the Long Island championship is what stays in his mind, and now, on his wrist.
“We have blue and grey bracelets that say June 1st, 2024,” Bolton said. “It’s the date of the LIC so every time we look down, we have a reason to continue to play hard and as a brotherhood.”
Added Tuttle: “He wants to be great, but he’s a team-first guy. He has an elite work ethic because he wants to win for his teammates.”
