Meola Becomes First Oklahoma State Player to Be Honored by Big 12 This Season
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State will open the home portion of their baseball schedule at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24 and at third base will be this week’s Big 12 Conference Player of the Week. Meola was on a roll in the four-game series at Grand Canyon last weekend running from Thursday through Sunday. Hitting .421 (8-for-19) with four home runs, a double and 12 RBI while posting a 1.105 slugging percentage, Meola was a huge part of the Pokes offense. In the final game of the series, a 13-2 run-rule win, Meola was two-for-five with a home run and five RBI.
On the season, Meola is hitting .321 and at third base is spotless in 15 chances with four put outs and 11 assists. The 6-2 senior from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. had options but chose to come back to Stillwater this season.
“There's nowhere else I'd rather be than here. It's a little bit different, role-wise,” Meola said of being the old man in the clubhouse. “I'm gonna be a leader, which kind of comes natural to me. I like it.”
Meola is the son of former world renown soccer goal keeper Tony Meola. Aidan admits he dreamed of following in his dad’s sport, but not the same path.
“I was a forward. I liked to score,” Meola joked on baseball media day.
He has had to battle to come back from injuries. It’s no fun and it can be drudgery, but he’s handled it.
“I underwent surgery so it was challenging. Took about seven months to get fully back, and I would say this last month or two, kind of feeling like myself again,” he described of the process. “I've been through it before so I kind of know what to do and just try to take care of your body the best you can.”
There is no doubt he is back now and Oklahoma State fans can see him; Kollin Ritchie, Colin Bruggemann, Alex Conover, Brock Thompson, and young Sebastian Norman, all seem to be hitting the ball well; when they open the home slate at O’Brate Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
