Last year, when senior Nate Rutherford stepped on the mound, No. 27 was on the back of his jersey, but now he wears a different number with far more meaning.
Rutherford wears 5 to honor Benton High School senior Drew Melton, who was killed in a car accident in November. The number was Melton’s, who played starting shortstop for Benton, softball number.
“Right after the accident, I knew this was something I wanted to do,” Rutherford said. “I wanted to do something that people would notice, and know that she is who I’m playing my season for.”
Not all of her friends on the team could wear 5 to represent her, but that hasn’t stopped them from honoring her memory.
“Me, Nate and Hayden Lessenberry all specially ordered our gloves with Drew’s initials and number imprinted in them,” senior Hayden Daniel said.
Their apparel is not the only way they incorporate their love for Melton into baseball. These seniors also have changed their on field routines.
“Before every inning, I squat down behind the mound and say a prayer about or for her,” Rutherford said. “I tape my wrist before every game and write her initials on it. Then I look at my wrist before every pitch, so I will throw it like it’s my last because you never know when you last one will be. I could get taken out of the game or injured; you just never know what’s going to happen.”
Unlike Rutherford who honors Melton on the mound, Daniel said he has changed up has batting routine to remember, who he is playing for.
“Every time I walk up to the plate, I draw a cross and say ‘This is for you Drew’,” Daniel said.
Rutherford said that after the accident, he saw the positive and negative ways Drew’s death could affect him on the field, and was determined not to let it bring him down.
“Well, at first I was kind of like ‘Am I going to make this hurt me or am I going to make this help me?’, “ Rutherford said. “I could have just been like ‘Well, this happened so I’m just going to lay down and quit.’, but instead I’ve been working harder, and just think about if she had that one more chance, how she would play.”
Melton attended every game last year, and Daniel said when he looks in the stands it’s kind of a bitter-sweet feeling.
“Our first home game was kind of rough. Everyone of our friends was there, but her,” Daniel said. “All I could really remember was her being there and being the one who stuck out by always yelling our names and stuff. I know she is still there watching us in spirit, but it is kind of upsetting that she isn’t there.”
Melton’s presence within the team, hasn’t been just on the field though. Daniel said her memory was a constant driving factor in the weight room.
“Whenever we are working out and start to get tired, we just look down at the bracelets we wear for her and just think about how hard she would be working if she could. Then we push ourselves as hard as we can,” Daniel said.
