Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Bay Port’s Ingold still wows at the plate

Posted

By Rich Palzewic

Sports Editor


ASHWAUBENON – Even though it’s been more than six years since Bay Port graduate Alec Ingold consistently swung a baseball bat, he still has the talent to hit a ball hard and far.

Ingold, in town visiting family after the Fourth of July and before the Las Vegas Raiders open training camp July 27, recently took batting practice with the Green Bay Booyah before a Northwoods League game at Capital Credit Union Park in Ashwaubenon.

During his senior season at Bay Port in 2015, Ingold hit close to .450, was the cleanup hitter, helped lead the Pirates to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Division 1 state tournament and was named Fox River Classic Conference first-team.

“I haven’t really swung a bat since my senior year in high school,” Ingold said before the batting practice session with the Booyah. “I took a few cuts at the Las Vegas Aviators (Triple-A) ballpark. I hope I do well and don’t embarrass myself. This is a nice ballpark, and it’s fun to be a part of something like this.”

A few minutes later, the right-handed-hitting Ingold stepped into the box and proved he could still smack the ball around.

Although he didn’t hit one over the wall, he hit several to the warning track, drawing some comments from current Booyah players.

“My warning track power showed,” Ingold joked after the session. “I think I did pretty well and didn’t embarrass myself. I wanted to hit one out, though.”

Ingold was also in town with another Bay Port graduate, offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen, a rookie undrafted free agent of the Green Bay Packers.

The pair signed autographs and took pictures with fans before the Booyah’s game July 9.

“It’s always fun to be back,” Ingold said. “You don’t get these opportunities very often. With Cole playing with me at (the University of Wisconsin) Madison, it’s been fun to track his progress as well. My parents were at his draft party – I wish I could have been there, but I was in Cleveland reading one of our draft picks for the Raiders. I was happy for him – to see our community wrap itself around him was awesome.”

Ingold said he’s been in Las Vegas most of the summer preparing for the upcoming season.

“I’m not home for long periods, but I enjoy it,” he said.

Ingold, a fullback entering his third season with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent, was named the Associated Press Player of the Year and the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state his senior season as a dual-threat quarterback.

He rushed for 2,324 yards and scored 29 touchdowns on the ground and threw for another 1,411 yards and 15 scores through the air.

After completing his senior season at Madison, he attended the 2019 Senior Bowl, where he turned heads with his strong play.

“We’re an exciting and young team,” Ingold said of the Raiders. “Everyone talks about us. We beat some of the best teams in the league last year and then lost to some of the worst teams. We’re trying to find that balance, but it’s tough with a young team.”

Ingold, who won a WIAA Division 1 wrestling state title his senior year at Bay Port, also scored the first touchdown in Allegiant Stadium history Sept. 21, 2020, on Monday Night Football and was named the team’s nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award last season.

Alec Ingold, Capital Credit Union Park, Green Bay Booyah, Las Vegas Raiders