Alex Rodriguez is already a history-maker for Park University’s baseball team, but now he’s made even more history for the Pirates.
The 5-foot-10 shortstop had already become the school’s all-time at-bats leader; now he has become the all-time leader in runs scored.
Rodriguez became the runs leader on March 14 in Park University’s 21-4 drubbing of William Penn at Statesmen Ballpark in Oskaloosa, Iowa. After reaching in the first inning with a leadoff
walk, Rodriguez advanced to third before junior Jake Lufft drove him in on a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring run No. 161 of Rodriguez’s career to pass Ryan Weedin’s record set in 2009.
After graduating from Park Hill South in 2019, Rodriguez has spent six seasons at Park University. His original freshman season was scratched after 12 games due to COVID-19, followed by his second year being waived by the NAIA for the extension of the pandemic.
In the four years since, the 5-foot-10 infielder has taken advantage of the extra time to write his name further into the program’s history books. Just like the 14-time MLB all-star who shares his first and last name, Park University’s A-Rod wears the No. 13 jersey.
Rodriguez is now approaching 700 career at-bats after passing Aaron Courter’s record of 612 at-bats set in 2006.
Throughout his time at Park University, Rodriguez has been an everyday player. He helped Park to the Heart Conference Tournament Championship Series and the first-ever NAIA National Tournament in 2024.
This season, the Pirates are 15-8 and are coming off a four-game sweep of the Benedictine Ravens. They are 11-5 in conference play and sit fourth in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
Rodriguez has earned all-conference honorable mention three times and was a Heart of America Athletic Conference Gold Glove winner at third base in 2021.
The next record on Rodriguez’s radar is becoming the all-time hits leader at Park University. As of March 24, he currently sits at 220 hits as he chases Courter’s record of 226.