One of the state’s premier baseball prospects, Koa Romero is almost certainly his own toughest critic.
“I felt like I kind of let myself down this year,” Romero said.
That says a lot about his standards.
The Hahnville star and LSU commitment earned Most Outstanding Player honors of the Class 5A All-State team this year after a stellar junior season. He starred in all aspects. He tallied a .433 batting average with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs for a Hahnville team that won the most games in team history, finishing as a state quarterfinalist with a 31-8 record. He went 6-2 on the mound as a pitcher with a 1.15 ERA.
And he made what proved to be a pivotal move early in the season when he shifted from his usual position of third base to become the team’s starting catcher.
Hahnville lost just 8 games all season – but five of those games came consecutively during a difficult stretch in mid-February.
“We were giving up a lot of stolen bases … Koa grew up catching, and it was a natural position for him,” said Hahnville head baseball coach Jared Vial. “And he didn’t skip a beat. ‘Yep, I’ll do it.’”
That helped Hahnville curtail opposing base stealers. The Tigers won 27 of their next 28 games after the move, including a 20-game win streak.
“I used to catch while playing travel ball, so I knew how, it had just been awhile,’ Romero said. “So, it took a little bit to get back into the rhythm, but once we’re halfway through the season, everything was fine.”
He also enjoyed the chance to play his old position again, much for the same reasons he loves being on the mound as a pitcher.
“I love pitching because I’m involved in the play for every single pitch, and it’s the same thing as a catcher,” Romero said. “So, I did actually enjoy it.”
One couldn’t have scripted a better start to the season for him.
He struck out 15 batters and hit what proved to be the game-winning home run in the sixth inning of Hahnville’s opening day 1-0 victory over Rummel.
“We knew it was going to be a close game,” Romero said. “And as the innings kept going by, it was 0-0 the whole time. We all knew something was going to happen eventually. Obviously, I didn’t expect the home run, but we all knew something was coming. We had chances and we just had to capitalize.”
Romero had to battle through a bit of frustration at times at the plate, however, which ties into why he felt a bit of disappointment despite his very strong season.
His reputation, it turns out, preceded him.
“People pitched around him all year,” said Vial. “He got intentionally walked about 15 times. He got intentionally walked with the bases loaded at one point. So, around the state, you could see the kind of respect he’d earned.”
It’s also an experience that could make for an even more dangerous Romero in his senior season.
“He’s said there were times he felt like he swung at some bad pitches, trying to do too much, where he got himself out rather than taking the walk,” said Vial. “He’s going to learn from it.”
Romero said he began to grasp that he could have a very bright future in the sport during his freshman season.
“When the first (prospect) rankings came out,” Romero said. “I think at that point I realized, OK, I’m actually kind of good at this.’ That kind of opened my eyes a little bit and it
motivated me to work a little bit harder.”
Vial, though, had an inkling of Romero’s ability just a bit sooner.
“When he was 5-years-old,” said Vial with a laugh.
Romero’s father Alex was a standout kicker for the Hahnville football team and then LSU in his playing days, and he returned to his alma mater as an assistant football coach.
“So, Koa was coming around with his dad, just 5-years-old, and Koa’s kicking 10 and 15 yard field goals. He was itty bitty, and he was hitting bombs in the cages … everybody knew he was special,” Vial said.
Said Romero, “I’ve was hitting off a tee as far back as I can remember. I’ve always played other sports, but I really, really got into baseball probably when I was 7.”
And as such, he arrived at Hahnville with some expectations, and there was an early adjustment period.
At one point in his freshman season, Romero was benched for three games – a means of trying to slow the game down a bit for a player who may have been pressing to make an impact.
“Mainly, he was trying to do too much, and I challenged him to watch the game and see what’s happening,” Vial said. “And after that third game, we’re on our way back from a tournament, on the bus, and I asked him what he learned from sitting the last three games.”
Romero – who is not one to boast or exaggerate – did not hesitate with his answer.
“The first words out his mouth – ‘I can dominate at this level,’” said Vial. “And I said, ‘I know you can.’ Literally, from there, it took off.”
Vial said the aim was for that break to allow Romero to return to the lineup at ease, and just go out and play.
Romero internalized the lesson. He doesn’t allow mistakes to fester – its on to the next play.
“I just kind of forget about it,” Romero said.
He officially committed to LSU late last year. He admitted that with the label of “LSU commitment comes pressure.”
“But I like having that pressure,” Romero said.
It was a special season for Hahnville, one that stands among the best in team history. Team chemistry made a lot of that possible, Romero said.
“We all hung out every single weekend,” said Romero.
Vial said for as much as Romero and the Tigers accomplished, ‘the job’s not finished.’ The goal is the school’s first state baseball championship since 1957. To get there, Vial said, Romero will have a huge part to play – he has to keep showing up every day to work hard and he has to keep leading.
His coach expects he’ll do just that.
“He’s the example of what a professional should be,” Vial said.
