As the quarterback for the Wylie football team in the fall, senior Balin Valentine is no stranger to the spotlight or being leaned on to produce in its glow.

So the transition from the football field to the baseball diamond, where he occupies high-profile roles as the Bulldogs’ shortstop and leadoff man, is a remarkably natural one for him.

A catalyst for the Bulldogs in all of his various capacities, Valentine enjoys those pressure-packed situations that might cause others to shrink. And given the success he’s found in them, it’s not hard to see why.