The blow Spencer Rogers suffered on the gridiron as a sophomore was so violent, it not only knocked him from the game, but the remainder of the football season.

“It was a pretty serious injury,” Rogers, now a senior, recalled.

Diagnosed with a severe concussion, Rogers rode the bench for Issaquah’s final seven games.

The time off the football field gave him plenty of time to reflect, and the conclusion he reached — well, it was simple.

“I always loved baseball more than football,” said Rogers, admitting the head injury was a wake-up call. “I just didn’t really want to risk anything baseball-wise by playing another sport.”

Rogers, who first picked up a bat and glove at age 5, quickly centered all his focus on one sport. Suddenly, the off-season no longer consisted of learning routes, or catching passes — it rested solely on hitting and baseball conditioning.

And if there’s a question as to whether the work paid off, one doesn’t need to look far.

Over the last three seasons, Rogers has etched his way into the Issaquah baseball history books, earned a scholarship to play at the University of Washington, and is considered by head coach Rob Reese to be one of the best hitters he’s had in his 17 years of leading the IHS program.

“He’s got to be in the top two, it’s between him and Colin Curtis,” Reese said. “Colin might have had a little bit more power, but Spencer’s hitting for a little better average.”

Curtis, a 2003 Issaquah graduate, is currently playing for the New York Yankees AAA affiliate in Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Pa.

Rogers shares the professional aspirations, but admits he is more focused on immediate goals like the 2010 state high school playoffs and his eventual college experience.

“I definitely want to win the state championship,” he said. “We’ve got a great team this year, we’ve got a good shot of getting back there.”

Currently, the left-handed hitter is batting an impressive .526 and is on stride to surpass the school record of .486 — a mark he set as a sophomore.

“Spencer’s pretty amazing,” Reese said. “Every time you look in the box score, he has two or three hits in every single game.”

Rogers also leads the Eagles with 22 RBI, six stolen bases and has struck out just twice in his 57 trips to the plate.

“You don’t see him swing and miss very often,” Reese said. “He might take a strike or two, he might foul off a couple, but usually he makes contact.”

Primarily a center fielder, Rogers has also stepped up and helped his team on the mound. In five starts, the right-handed pitcher boasts a 4-1 record with .274 ERA and 33 strikeouts.

“I definitely enjoy running the outfield, rather than pitching,” Rogers said. “But, I’ll do whatever needs to be done.”

It’s that “get-it-done” attitude that led the UW to offer him a spot on the Husky baseball roster prior to his junior season. And, it’s that same attitude that’s made Rogers so well respected among his teammates.

“He’s always into the games,” fellow senior Shane Yarnell said. “He’s never out slacking or anything. He’s a good teammate.”

His coach of four years said a laid-back attitude and a quiet persona on the field gives some scouts the wrong impression.

“He doesn’t get too excited, or too low either — he’s pretty even keeled,” Reese said.

In response to those who question the enthusiasm, Reese simply points to the statistics.

“You can’t hit over .500 in this league if you’re not dedicated and you don’t like the game,” he said.

While Rogers isn’t necessarily fond of yapping about his abilities or accomplishments, it’s not hard for his teammates to see where his heart lies.

Yarnell, who has played with Rogers since age 10, said he sees it every day on the field.

“You can tell that deep down (Spencer’s) really excited about baseball — that it’s really his passion,” he said.