DUXBURY, Ma. - Family has been a major part of the quest to play college baseball for Billy Mrowka.

“My dad has been my coach since I can remember,” the Duxbury junior related about his father Pete. “He’s always been there with me hitting, or flipping me the ball. He played college baseball at LSU, then transferred to Bates College for baseball and football.”

However, the family influence does not stop there.

“My brother has been more influential for me than anyone,” Mrowka said about older sibling Buddy, a 2017 graduate of Milton Academy. “He’s going to Harvard and playing baseball. He pushed me when I was younger to get better. The competition with brothers is very important. Both my dad and my brother always talked about college baseball and how much they loved it.”

But it took the help of another family member to help with making a decision on where the 26th-ranked 2022 catcher in New England would go to play at the next level.

“My cousin Cooper (who played for three years at UMass Amherst) plays baseball at George Mason,” Mrowka explained. “I talked to him and he filled me in on the baseball program and if I wanted to start talking to them.

“I ended up taking a visit to see family in Virginia and my cousin gave me a tour where I saw the campus and the dorms. That’s a big thing, too, I have family down there.”

A video sent by his father helped initiate interest from the Atlantic 10 Conference coaches a month ago.

“I talked with coach (Brian) Pugh and he’s awesome,” Mrowka noted about the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator with the program. “We clicked right away. I felt comfortable talking to him over the phone. Then I looked into the A-10 Conference and I think it’s a good fit. All around I just felt it was a perfect fit for me.”
A commitment came four days after an offer was made earlier this month to the university located in Fairfax, Va., eight-and-a-half hours from home in Duxbury.

“It was a quick decision,” the 187th-rated New England junior said. “Once I visited, I loved it. I’ve always wanted to go south and play so I pulled the trigger quickly. I didn’t want to lead them on.”

Navy, UMass Lowell and UMass Amherst were other colleges the 17-year-old was looking into but George Mason proved to be an easy choice in reaching a goal that has been around for some time.

“When I was young I was always obsessed with baseball,” Mrowka pointed out. “Once I got to middle school I set my eyes on college baseball. It was more realistic than college hockey for me, I think I’m going to be better at college baseball. Once I got to high school I realized if I keep working hard I can definitely make it happen.”

George Mason saw the promise in Mrowka.

“They need lefty hitters,” Mrowka noted. “They also like versatile players which I am. I can play many positions.”

While catcher is the main position for the 6-0 180-pounder, the ability to play outfield adds to the resume.

“I’m going to start playing first base, too,” Mrowka added. “They might need me there in the long run.”

But it is his stick that Mrowka believes will be the difference when it comes to getting on the field.

“Guys that hit get into the lineup and play right away,” Mrowka said.

Making improvements in his overall game will help as well.

“I need to keep getting stronger and faster so when I show up I’m not overmatched by the older kids,” Mrowka said of where he is looking to get better. “I have to keep getting stronger so I look like I fit in.”

A strong work ethic and versatility are traits that Mrowka believes he can bring to George Mason.

“I’m somebody that works hard and I don’t care where I play, catcher or outfield,” Mrowka noted. “But hitting is the thing I’m best at and I feel I can bring that to the program right away. I’m ready to roll and make a difference.”

Coaches Brian Tanguy, Matt Henriksen, Brandon Josselyn and Mike Stone are others that Mrowka gave credit to in a baseball journey that has now headed past the commitment stage.

“The feeling is hard to describe,” Mrowka said about the feeling of being a college commit. “Division I schools weren’t able to go to summer games to see me and there was no high school season so I missed out on a lot of games. There was definitely more negative than good. The only way they could see me was on video and that’s not always easy to get. Plus, all the grad students were getting another year of eligibility so it was tough 

“I’m just happy to get it out of the way and focus on getting better,” Mrowka added. “I’m so relieved to get this over so now I can work on improving my game and being a good teammate when I get there.”