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Jay Thomason crossed a rare stat off his "baseball bucket list" this past week. The Air Force senior hit a single, double, triple and grand slam all in one game.
“It was the first time in my life I’ve hit for the cycle, so it was pretty cool accomplishment," Thomason said with a smile.
Thomason has already hit eight home runs this season and his 45-career home runs is just five shy of tying the program record set by Nic Ready.
“I definitely set goals to make an impact at Air Force," Thomason said. "Seeing those dreams come into fruition, it’s satisfying to see”
Not only does he have power, he's also the most consistent hitter on the team boasting a .358 batting average. His success stems from taking a simple approach at the plate.
“I don’t like to think mechanics at all," he said. "I just like to be free up there with a pretty empty mind."
As an Alabama native, Thomason came from a long line of Auburn University graduates. He decided to chase a unique path in Colorado Springs.
“I knew I wanted to do something different early on," Thomason explained. "So when the Air Force opportunity came about, I committed the day I was offered, like on the spot."
Thomason admitted knowing very little about the Air Academy when he committed and said the adjustment was far from easy.
“I probably had a negative my first two years here but that’s part of the growth and maturation this place gives you," Thomason reflected. "I had a pretty cool leadership opportunity my senior year, and that’s when I realized to appreciate this place and what it does for you."
Thomason was selected to serve as a Squadon Commander this year, a position that put him in charge of a hundred cadets.
“It was pretty demanding and I got put in situations that probably made me a little uncomfortable, but the type of person and character it forms at the end of the day, it’s really cool to see that," he said.
Coach Kazlausky saw Thomason's potential right off the bat, and took him under his wing.
“He’s my second dad," Thomason said. "He’s the reason I stayed, he’s the reason I came here, he gave me so many life lessons and gave me so many opportunities to be in this position that I’m in today."
Following graduation this year, Thomason will be a Combat Systems Officer in Pensacole, Florida. However, if MLB comes calling before that, he plans to pursue that dream first.
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