Dominic Pasella is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Vista High School for AZPreps365.com

Many baseball players have said their passion for the game runs through their veins. For Desert Vista High School baseball player Ben Romaine, the sport is in his DNA. 

Romaine began his baseball journey at a young age, inspired by his father, Tim, who played college baseball at Brookdale Community College in New Jersey and Coastal Carolina University. 

“He didn’t put baseball on me, but he definitely introduced me to the game, and I fell in love with it since,” Romaine said.

Romaine is a senior at Desert Vista and worked his way up to the position of team captain this season. He has 13 runs and three triples through his 14 games played this season, according to MaxPreps.

Defensively, Romaine has been a standout at center field while also occasionally pitching, and boasts a 1.000 fielding percentage this season, according to MaxPreps.

“Ben has been a solid presence for us this year,” Desert Vista head coach Pat Herrera said.

Romaine prefers his spot in the outfield rather than on the mound. It's there that his father has also recognized his defensive prowess as the season has continued.

“The thing that stood out … was how well he was playing in center field defensively because he’s always been able to swing the bat, but he made a ton of good plays in center field,” Tim Romaine said.

As a captain, Ben Romaine describes himself as a vocal leader who brings all the energy he can on game days.

“I just make sure that the dugout has energy … and make sure everyone’s working hard so we’re not going to get beat out there,” Ben Romaine said.

Ben Romaine has been out with a hand injury that he suffered in a game on March 16, but has remained a vocal leader for the team in his on-field absence. 

“He’s pulling for his team and trying to help them out and give them whatever he can give them right now, even though he’s not playing,” Tim Romaine said. “So it’s actually been fun to watch that personality come out because he’s normally pretty quiet.”

Despite Ben Romaine being unhappy about his current physical condition, he still tries to bring the intensity to his team from the dugout.

“If I’m down, then my team’s down, you know, so I still have to be up,” Ben Romaine said. “I’m still going to be rooting for all my guys.”

This past offseason, Ben committed to Chandler-Gilbert Community College to continue his baseball career, following in his father’s footsteps, pursuing the junior college route.

“Chandler-Gilbert was the first college that reached out, and they recruited me really early for a JUCO,” Ben Romaine said.

Ben’s father thinks his son has the potential to reach a higher level of success after his junior college years, much as he did when he went from Brookdale CC to Division I Coastal Carolina.

“Ultimately, it’s going to be on him,” Tim Romaine said. “It would be great if he continued to go to a four-year school at D-1 and be an impact player.”

Above all else, Ben Romaine’s father values how baseball improves him as a person, not just as an athlete. 

“You know, you’re not going to get a hit every time you’re at bat, no matter how much you want to,” Tim Romaine said. “And those are life lessons that he can take forward when he’s an adult and hopefully pass on to his kids.”