By Rick Assad
As the leadoff hitter for the Burbank High baseball team, Ryan Sebastian was asked to get on base and set the table for the other hitters in the same way a basketball point guard would get other players involved in the offense.
A recent graduate, Sebastian, who was named the Bulldogs’ Offensive Player of the Year and was an All-Pacific League second team selection, led the team in hits and was a key component for a team that went 8-15 overall but 7-7 for fourth place in the Pacific League.
The Bulldogs lost in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs.
The previous season, Burbank carved out a 13-10 mark and 7-7 in league and advanced to the Division IV quarterfinals.
“I was not the [vocal] leader of the team. The team leaders were the juniors, Colby Bette and Robert Snyder, and the senior, Miklo Reynoso,” said Sebastian, who batted .310 his final season and will attend Pasadena City College in the fall but will not play baseball. “My main role on the team was to start the game early for Burbank because I was the leadoff hitter.”
A left fielder, Sebastian, who will major in mechanical engineering, was honored with the Ed Herkelrath Baseball Scholarship and was a member of the “Top Dogs” which was for students who maintained with a 4.0 or higher grade-point average throughout high school, had the ability to come up with timely hits.
“I think my best asset I offered on the field was my hitting,” he said. “I never was able to hit the ball far, but I could usually make solid contact at least.”
When Sebastian, who was in the program four years including two on the varsity, struggled at the plate, he stayed patient and put in the hard work.
“In the middle of my junior season, I ended up getting in a pretty bad slump,” he admitted. “The only way that helped me get out of it was spending extra hours in the [batting] cage before and after practice.”
Sebastian added: “The main lesson I learned from baseball or any sport as a matter of fact is the more you put in, the more you get back,” he noted.
Having the gift of playing the game well and being a grinder also helps.
“Obviously the successful teams I played on were successful because there was more talent on those teams, but I also genuinely believe that team chemistry plays a part in a successful team,” he said.
Burbank and Burroughs split their two games this season and the last meeting was extra special.
The Bears won the first meeting 10-6 on the road but the Bulldogs responded with a 1-0 victory at Burroughs.
“Just like everyone else, I was definitely more excited for this game,” Sebastian said of these usual nail-biters. “Although my actual approach to these games never changed, my last game against Burroughs was definitely a game that stands out just because it was my last Burroughs game and Colby had one of the best pitching performances I’ve ever seen.”
Bob Hart, the longtime Burbank coach, has first-hand knowledge of Sebastian’s strengths.
“Ryan possesses a quiet leadership quality. Dependable, consistent and a guy who plays for the team and not for himself,” he remarked. “He was our leadoff hitter for a reason. He set a tone. Very professional approach. Contained emotion, but highly competitive.”
Hart added another item that made Sebastian stand out.
“Ryan was very popular with his teammates and coaches for those reasons … genuinely a pleasure to coach,” he said. “His legacy as a Bulldog will be lasting as a role model for the young guys coming up. He will be missed, but more importantly remembered.”
Sebastian’s finest moment in the sun was a game versus a different league opponent.
“I think my best career highlight was hitting a two-run single against Glendale to take the lead in a tied game,” he said.
For Sebastian, his approach for games wasn’t anything too outrageous but were successful.
“My usual routine was the night before I would get extra work in the cage and then go to Round 1 Bowling and Arcade with my friends,” he said. “As for the day of the game, I didn’t do anything special.”
With the end of his prep career, Sebastian is appreciative of the experience of putting on the baseball uniform.
“Playing for the Burbank High baseball team was overall just a fun experience that I’m glad I was able to take part in,” he said. “It was something I could always look forward to after school. I’ll probably miss the bus rides and team dinner the most.”
