Freeport junior Trey Schreckengost is recovered from a back injury and starring for the Yellowjackets. Submitted photo

For the past few seasons, Freeport’s baseball team has ditched a game ball.

Instead, standout players get to pull on a dog mask after an impact effort, an idea that assistant coach Joey Stadtfeld brought to the program.

“It might just be a guy who makes a big play,” Yellowjackets coach Ed Carr said. “It might be a guy that steps up in tough circumstances, but they get to take the mask after the game and we take a team picture with the ‘Dog of the Game.’”

“It’s really who’s been — not so much the best — but who has shown the most heart or effort,” breakout freshman pitcher/third baseman/left fielder Ashton Bricker said.

The celebration prop has been fitting for junior Trey Schreckengost and Bricker, who are big reasons Freeport is undefeated through its initial 10 outings.

Freeport freshman pitcher/third baseman/outfielder Ashton Bricker has broken out as the Yellowjackets remain undefeated. Submitted Photo

“We’ve said this among the coaches. Trey was locked up in the pound for a year, is what we said,” Carr said. “So he came out like an angry pit bull. You can call Ashton our puppy and we’ve got the pit bull on the other side.”

Schreckengost, a catcher, started as a freshman, then missed last season with what he described as a slipped disk that he suffered during the soccer season. He couldn’t stand for more than 10 minutes at a time as he dealt with a “burning” sciatica in his left leg.

He began physical therapy, but had to let it heal for a “couple months” before resuming treatment. Meanwhile, Kason Barker stepped in at backstop for the Yellowjackets, earning second-team all-state honors before moving to outfield to make room for Schreckengost, who longed to be in and behind the batter’s box as he recovered.

“Most of the games they won, I just really wanted to be there to contribute,” Schreckengost said. “And the games they lost, I just really felt like I could be there and help impact that a little bit more and just maybe even help them get a win.”

Bricker has hit the ground running during his first varsity season with Freeport. He’s hitting around .500 and leads the team in RBIs. He hit a walk-off two-run homer during a 5-4 win over Ligonier Valley on March 30.

“He’s got a reputation in the summer circuits, but to me, that’s made it even more impressive because when guys sometimes get those accolades, it comes with a little bit of pressure,” Carr said. “And they feel that pressure. So (for) him to come in and (be) plug-and-play and have the success, the maturity with him is what I think has been really impressive.”

“I’m glad that I’m able to show that (talent) on the field, even with playing against 18-year-olds and me coming up,” Bricker said. “I can keep it going … I’m glad that I can help the team in any way possible.

“It’s just me against the baseball, to be honest.”

Schreckengost is attacking pitchers the same way. At the plate, he first locates where the outfielders are stationed, looking to see which gaps he can slap the ball into. He’s had a lot of success doing so.

“He has just been maybe, arguably our MVP,” Carr said. “He’s been so good behind the plate. Teams haven’t really been testing him, running him because his release is so quick. And he’s been a two-hit-a-game guy, he’s hitting right around .500. And we do a quality at-bat championship for my team and he’s actually leading the parade in that right now.”

The ’Jackets open a two-game WPIAL Section 3-3A bill against Burrell on the road on Monday.