SOUTH MILWAUKEE — Hundreds of people gathered at the Bucyrus Commons Thursday to celebrate South Milwaukee's Nate Snead with a proclamation ceremony.
The former Rocket pitcher won a College World Series last month with the University of Tennessee.
Snead was a late-inning asset this season for the Vols and helped Tennessee force a Game 3 against Texas A&M. Tennessee went on to win its first College World Series in a 6-5 decision over the Aggies.
“Stepping on that mound — I mean that run in from the bullpen is super cool," Snead recalled with a smile."I tried to take it in as much as I could even though I knew I had a job at hand to do, and they wanted me to come in and throw strikes.”
Snead played baseball at South Milwaukee High School under head coach Ben Parlier. He flew under the radar for most of high school and wasn't heavily recruited, but the outlook changed dramatically heading into his senior year.
“There was a video that he had texted me and another assistant coach of him," Parlier explained.
Watch: South Milwaukee's Nate Snead returns home a NCAA Champion
Snead had been throwing with a pitching coach and clocked a velocity of 96.6 miles per hour.
"I always remember that day," Snead added. "It's probably one of the biggest moments in my baseball career that happened. It's kind of when the college coaches and the MLB scouts started to come in and hit me up a little bit more.”
The former South Milwaukee standout played at Wichita State his freshman year.
However, he entered the transfer portal after a coaching change which ultimately led him to his dream school, the University of Tennessee.
His journey first took him to Wichita State, but after a coaching change, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to play for his dream school.
“I was lucky enough to go to two games in Omaha at the college world series," Parlier said. "That was a surreal moment where I'm watching somebody that I've known for a while and I love."
“To share that moment — especially a win like that — with everybody that was there was super super cool," Snead added. "They've been there along the way with me, so I mean they deserve to be there as well.”
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