Mars graduate Dylan Rotz competes in the Rocket League for West Virginia University. The first-year Mountaineer Esports team has qualified for the World Championships. Submitted Photo

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Baseball and Dylan Rotz were synonymous.

The 2017 Mars graduate was a successful pitcher and hitter in the WPIAL, played travel ball and Legion baseball. He went on to pitch for Alderson Broaddus, a Division II college in West Virginia, on a full scholarship and played in the MLB summer watch league in Virginia after his freshman season.

It was there that his life changed.

“I blew out my shoulder and that was it,” Rotz said. “I had to have major surgery and couldn’t pitch anymore.”

So he picked back up on his second favorite past-time — video gaming competition, better known as Esports.

“I used to get on his case about wasting his time playing those video games ... I guess I was wrong,” said Joann Rotz, Dylan’s mother.