Marc Narducci: Memorable final game for Millville's Mike Trout

His day began by swatting balls out of Yankee Stadium and ended with the familiar home-run trot in his hometown of Millville, N.J.

Even by Mike Trout's standards, this was no ordinary day. It never is when a hometown icon takes the field one final, triumphant time.

Trout's career ended in style yesterday as he hit another home run in another Millville win. On Saturday, Trout set the single-season South Jersey record for home runs and yesterday in his final game he extended the mark, a fitting close to an exemplary career.

Trout's 18th home run, a two-run shot to left field, keyed Millville's 10-9 win over stubborn Oakcrest in a memorable swan song in which he went 3 for 4 with three RBIs.

He ended his senior season batting .531 with those 18 home runs and 45 RBIs. Trout finished his career with 31 career home runs, and what is most imposing is that the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Millville senior has just as much speed as power.

No wonder the centerfielder is considered a first-round draft choice in Tuesday's Major League Baseball first-year player draft.

Trout will be in Secaucus, N.J., for the draft that is being televised at the studios of the MLB Network.

They don't invite players to the show who aren't high-profile players.

All through spring, when all the Major League teams had his number on speed dial and he was seen by scores of scouts, Trout never let the hype affect his focus or his swing.

Yet yesterday was different because there was no next game to look forward to, although the scouts still came, including a large contingent from the Phillies, led by director of scouting Marti Wolever.

Millville finished with a school-record 22 wins. So Trout finally got to reflect what putting on the Thunderbolts uniform meant to him.

"It's been a fun four years," he said. "I wish it could go longer."

Opposing pitchers surely don't share that sentiment.

Trout's day began with a tryout at Yankee Stadium. He said he hit four or five out but couldn't remember the exact number.

If we were there, most of us would be able to remember every swing, but that's Trout. The only thing he remembers clearly is the wins and losses.

"It was so exciting being in Yankee Stadium and a great experience," he said.

Maybe some players would have taken the rest of the day off, but Trout let the Yankees know that he would be hightailing home, intent on making it to his final high-school game. The thought of skipping it never entered his mind.

"It was the last game in my high-school career, and it meant the world to me to be there," he said. "I wasn't going to let my teammates down."

That is the essence of Trout. He always realized that the attention came his way, but he never tried to put himself above the crowd.

"The best thing about Mike is that he never big-leagued anybody and acted like one of the guys," Millville coach Roy Hallenbeck said. "He never separated himself from that group, and we will miss him a lot."

Trout talked about all that he will miss, his teammates, his coaches, and the fans who came out to see him in large numbers. He said he will never forget the memories at Millville.

Left unsaid was that many fans also won't forget not only a stellar career but a player who never acted like he was better than anybody else.