Name: Erik Rhodes
School: Altoona Area
Age: 18
Grade: Senior
Sports: Baseball
Athlete of the week achievement: Rhodes went 3-for-5 with a triple, four RBIs, two runs scored, and was the winning pitcher in Altoona’s 15-7 win over State College. He was 1-for-4 with an RBI in a 4-3 win over Cumberland Valley. He also singled in the winning run. In a 12-2 win over Hollidaysburg, he went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer.
Season update: Rhodes is batting .397 with two home runs and 26 RBIs for the 13-5 Mountain Lions.
Coach Tom Smith’s quote: “Erik has been solid for us all year. He is hitting in the No. 4 spot for us, and he has been getting clutch hits for us every couple of games. He has come through with some big hits throughout the whole season. ”
Favorite teacher: Mrs. Trimmer
Favorite subject: English
Favorite movie: Anything by Adam Sandler
Favorite food: Chipotle
Favorite song: “Family Ties” by Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar
Outside interests: Lifting, golf, snowboarding
Favorite professional team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Favorite college team: Penn State
Pro athlete most admired: Ronald Acuna Jr.
Best athlete I ever competed against: Central’s Paxton Kling
Most influential person on my athletic career: My mother, Corrie Brunner
Proudest athletic achievement: Committing to UPJ to play college baseball
How I got my start in baseball: “My brother played before me so then I got into it.”
Future goal: Go to college and do well from a baseball standpoint there
.