Walker Vogan (Slippery Rock Baseball)

SLIPPERY ROCK — Walker Vogan’s ankles were black and blue. He wasn’t even in the starting lineup Thursday.

When the Slippery Rock High School senior entered the game, it was at a position he hasn’t played all season.

But Vogan will never forget the baseball game he played for the Rockets that day against Wilmington.

“Definitely my most memorable sports experience in high school,” Vogan said. “I pitched a no-hitter for my travel team when I was 14. That’s probably my best baseball memory.

“But this one’s right there.”

Normally the Rockets’ starting catcher, Vogan was supposed to have Thursday’s game off to rest his sore ankles. But when Slippery Rock coach Derrick Wood reshuffled his infield in the third inning, Vogan was inserted at third base. He played that position last season, but not at all this spring.

Vogan wound up hitting two home runs in the sixth inning — the first leading off the frame, the second a grand slam to cap an eight-run uprising and a 13-7 come-from-behind victory.

Vogan’s numbers at the plate this season before Thursday? One hit in seven at-bats.

“We usually use our designated hitter for him,” Wood said. “The only reason he was hitting was because we brought him into the game late. We needed someone to step up for us and Walker certainly did that.”

Vogan had never hit a high school home run before Thursday. He estimates hitting five during his lifetime, none since he was 12 years old. He’s 17 now.

“Maybe I’ve earned a few more swings for myself,” he said, laughing.

The Rockets were trailing 7-5 when Vogan stepped up to the plate to begin the bottom of the sixth. He hit a 3-1 pitch over the fence in left-center field.

“I had no idea it was going out,” he said. “I was running hard toward second base and the second baseman told me to slow up, that the ball left the yard. I was shocked.”

His second trip to the plate, he wasn’t so shocked. Vogan said he drove the ball “probably 20 feet farther” than the one before, this time on a 2-2 pitch. The home runs came against different pitchers.

“I knew I hit that one well,” he said. “It felt good coming off the bat.”

Vogan was hit by a pitch during his first plate appearance Thursday.

“Walker is just one of those gritty players,” Wood said. “His ankles had to be hurting — they’d been bad for two weeks or so — but he was more than willing to come into the game.

“To have an inning like that at the plate ... I’ve never witnessed anything like it before.”

A two-year starter in baseball, Vogan was the Rockets’ regular third baseman last year before moving behind the plate this season. He was a four-year starter in basketball, playing center, and averaged 9.1 rebounds per game this past season.

He’s hopeful of continuing his baseball career in college.

“Nothing’s materialized for me yet,” Vogan said.

Thursday’s game won’t hurt in that regard.