Steve Frost - Carson's player from Down Under

Steve Frost quite likely played his last baseball game in Carson City Monday afternoon when the Carson Cardinals were eliminated from the United States Amateur Baseball Association (USABA) World Series with a loss to the Fairfield Yankees.

However, it's just as likely he won't be forgotten anytime soon, or that Frost will ever forget the past year he spent as Carson City's baseball player from Down Under.

Frost, a 17-year-old exchange student from Adelaide, Australia, was a player who brought more than baseball to the field.

"I'm going to be sad when he leaves; he's just a good kid to have around and I know the other kids all hold him in high regard," Carson Cardinals manager Steve Cook said. "And there's so many other levels to that kid besides being on the baseball field. You've got to tip your hat to the kid for being willing to leave home for a year to learn about life somewhere else."

Likewise, Frost came to the U.S. with baseball on his mind but is leaving with more than that from his experience.

"It's been a blast," Frost said. "I've gotten everything I wanted out of it, and more. This has been a learning year in regard to sport and culture. Being able to stay here, go to school and play baseball, it's all been one big highlight for me."

Frost first met his host parents, Blayne and Robin Eaton, last summer during a baseball tour through Nevada.

"I came here last year with a representative team that traveled on the West Coast and I stayed with Blayne and Robin," Frost recalled. "At that time, he told me If I wanted to come back and play ball, then he'd be more than happy to have me, so I'm back."

Frost was an exchange student at Carson High School this past year and had a chance to play ball for the Senators' junior varsity squad.

"At the beginning of the season, I was used as a relief pitcher. I didn't pitch that much, but my record was 2-0," he said. "Then they found out I could hit, so I was moved to the outfield.

"In my first game as an outfielder, I hit a home run," the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Frost added with a smile. "Coach (George) Parmenter said, 'Don't make me look bad,' and I hit it over the 380 sign."

There were some highlights at the USABA World Series, too, because Frost delivered a two-run single for the Cardinals in a 6-4 loss to the high-powered Central Cal All-Stars on Sunday at Governor's Field.

"His attitude is always good," Cook said. "He's so willing to learn the game. He always works and he's real eager to learn. He doesn't mind carrying the gear, he doesn't mind shagging foul balls, and he's got some tools as a player. I just wish he could stick around for another year or two."

Instead, Frost will return home and prepare for his senior year of high school in Adelaide starting next February. After that he plans to go on to college, study information technology - "It's the future."

And of course, he intends to play more baseball.

"We don't have school teams, we have state teams and sports institute teams. I'll probably play under-19 club ball and I'll probably play Division I or II in Senior League," Frost said. "The year over here is going to help me, definitely," he said. "I've learned so much and I've convinced myself I can play ball.

"I think I would like to coach one day, too. It would be fun to coach kids and pass along what I've learned and see if it goes on down the line."