Nick Bowron is a home run-hitting machine as he prepares to play Division I baseball

ROCHESTER Every morning, Nick Bowron starts his day with some lifting at the Rochester Batting Cages.

On game days after school, he heads to The Yard for batting practice and some pre-game stretching before making his way to the field.

ADVERTISEMENT Its all part of his daily routine.

It's one thats turned him into a Division I recruit, and most recently, a home run-hitting machine.

The Lourdes senior catcher racked up six homers in his first 11 games with the Eagles this season.

His favorite of the bunch? A dinger to tie the game against Caledonia in the bottom of the eighth inning on April 29.

(Its) being selective in the right moments, but also being aggressive, Bowron said of his hitting strategy.

Knowing what pitch I can hit, knowing what my hot zones are.

That's something I talk a lot with my hitting coach about, is knowing my hot zones and being really aggressive in those zones.

And once the ball comes in there, knowing that I can do damage with it, and just taking really good hacks on those pitches.

Bowrons been an asset at the plate, but catching is his true calling.

Its the position hell play at Creighton University next season.

Bowron currently uses the same lifting program as the Bluejays, so he knows what to expect next season once he arrives in Omaha.

I kind of texted them just in curiosity, like, Can I get this program, or is it something you guys are going to keep secret for now, and they sent it over to me, Bowron said.

I've always heard that incoming freshmen are always in a downgrade because they're weaker, they're not as fast or not as big.

I figured if I can get ahead of the game and have a better chance of playing next year, then this would be big for me.

Bowron is one of a handful of southeastern Minnesota baseball seniors and juniors who will play at the Division I level.

Another is his future roommate at Creighton, Lyle/Pacelli senior Hunter VaDeer.

ADVERTISEMENT The pair played together a few years ago for the first time during the Prep Baseball Report Junior Future Games in Georgia, representing Minnesota.

We've known each other for a very long time, Bowron said.

We've always been kind of ranked up there together.

We've competed against each other a whole bunch.

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He was one of the first guys I texted (when I committed) and said, We get to be teammates for the first time.

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We've always connected really well.

Anytime I get to catch him and he pitches to me, it's always a blast.

For now, Bowron and VaDeer are sorting out their class schedules, coordinating trips to Nebraska to watch their future team play and deciding what to pack for their dorm room.

It's been a real journey with him, Bowron said.

As a freshman, Bowron was on the Eagles team that finished third at the state tournament.

Hes come a long way since then and even battled through injury.

Lourdes head coach Dave Jenson has seen Bowrons progress firsthand and knows the impact his senior catcher will leave on the program.

It's not easy when you're the player that the other coach kind of circles in the lineup, and is like, Don't let this guy beat you, Jenson said.

He has great speed and has found other ways to score and impact games.

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He's been a great, positive leader as a catcher, hes like another coach on the field.

ADVERTISEMENT Its not just his teammates or coaches who know of Bowrons unique abilities.

Officials notice it too.

Almost every single game we play, the umpires, afterwards, tell me, Wow, you (have) a great catcher, and he does such a great job back there.

He really helps out, Jenson said.

So that's really a testament to Nick, the work that he's done in the off-season, and the teammate that he is and just being that positive kind of leader that we want.

Bowron said hes been playing baseball since he started walking and hes had no shortage of role models who helped him reach his full potential.

Some of his biggest influences include his late paternal grandpa as well as former Century High School player Mac Horvath.

I didn't get to know (my grandpa) very much, but just the stories (I heard) growing up (are) unbelievable, Bowron said.

(My dad and grandma), they've shared unbelievable stories about him and just his accomplishments.

Horvath spent three years with the Panthers and played college baseball at the University of North Carolina before he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and eventually traded to the Tampa Bay Rays.

His expertise has undoubtedly left a lasting impression on Bowron.

I've always watched him growing up, Bowron said of Horvath.

We train together.

He's just always had a big influence on me.

Anytime he comes home, we try to hit a little bit together and try to catch up a little bit.

As an eighth grader, he realized he had an extra passion for the game each time he stepped out onto the field.

He grew up playing for the Rochester Tornadoes youth program and on travel teams such as the Cincinnati Reds scout team, Great Lakes Baseball Academy of Woodbury and Canes National out of Virginia.

ADVERTISEMENT He spent last summer with GRB Academy in Madison, Wis.

owned by Greg Reinhardt, a former MLB player who had a huge role in Bowrons recruiting process and connecting him with college coaches.

I would say GRB was probably the most impacting summer on my future, Bowron said.

It was a huge step up.

Everyone kind of had the same goal.

We all had the same passions.

On the rare occasions hes not on the field, Bowron enjoys cooking with his mom and fishing with his friends or sister, Emily, an incoming junior on the womens basketball team at Gustavus Adolphus College.

Before he heads off to Omaha, Bowron has some unfinished business with the Eagles (6-5 overall and 4-3 in Hiawatha Valley League play).

Obviously, trying to win those HVL games and those section games are really big for us, Bowron said.

We (have) a couple big ones coming up here, so I think we're going to try to take care of business on those ones and kind of see where everything turns out for the playoffs..

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