Baseball has always been a centerpiece for seniors Cade Nowik and Mikey Gray, and will continue to be for the next four years at Denison university. 

Their baseball journey started around the same age, when they played Lake Forest house league as well as LFBA travel baseball. They met at their older brothers’ baseball games. As seniors, they are the two of the Scouts’ top players. 

While he plays three sports, Nowik has always had the deepest love for baseball. He is a versatile player for the Scouts; he starts at shortstop, can start on the mound, and bats three in the lineup. His favorite baseball memory was going to cooperstown and staying with the team. 

“There’s nothing like it,” Nowik said. He knew he wanted to play in college ever since this experience.  

For Mikey Gray, baseball has always been his love.

“Ever since I began baseball, I knew I wanted to play at the next level,” he said.

Just two years ago, he became a pitcher only, and has bumped his velocity up 15 mph since. However, his lefty pickoff move has always been elite, dating back to the little league days. 

Denison University, located in Granville, Ohio, was just ranked number one for overall Division III athletics. Surprisingly enough, Cade and Mikey’s decisions were not influenced by each other.

For Mikey, the academics and high level of competition were what put Denison over the top. 

“Denison having a great balance between high level academics and top notch athletics made it an easy choice,” Gray said. 

After his senior football season, Cade Nowik realized that he wanted to continue to play both football and baseball at the next level. He had visited Denison’s baseball facility last summer and fell in love with the coaches and the winning history of the team. 

“Once I heard that I could play both football and baseball, it was a done decision,” Nowik said. 

“Being able to play two sports and compete with new guys and make new friendships is what I am most excited for,” he added. 

Mrs. Nowik has been along for the whole ride with the two boys. 

“It’s always been entertaining listening to them banter with each other about who is the better player, who is faster, who throws harder, who had more hits, who is the better golfer, who caught more fish,” Mrs. Nowik said. 

She looks forward to four more years of their everlasting competitions. On their first ever playdate, Mikey had convinced Cade to throw rocks across the pond in the backyard. This resulted in a neighbor’s broken window. When Mrs. Nowik asked what Cade had learned from the situation, he responded “To never listen to Mikey.”

The two will continue to push each other for the next four years and create the best out of each other, which has gotten them to where they are today. As of now, they are 100% focused on making some noise in the IHSA state playoffs.