In a Longhorn senior class that features the well-documented exploits of Wood Collins and the personality and pitching acumen of Michael Martin, it is easy for the quiet effectiveness of Weldon Fultz to get lost in the shuffle.

But Tuesday when Marengo Academy honored its seniors, Fultz made a little bit more noise. After getting hit with a pitch in his first at-bat, Fultz later came around to score on a Collins single. That isn’t a bad scenario for a leadoff guy, but it isn’t altogether notable either.

Then came Fultz’s second plate appearance of the opening frame. In that one, Fultz assumed the RBI role, lifting a three-run shot over the left field fence to plate three. And when he rounded third base with a smile on his face, he teammates gave him a hard time at home plate rather than dishing out the customary beating that tends to accompany high school home runs.

But that is the personality of this team and Fultz is as important a part of that chemistry as anyone else. And Tuesday, his value was on display as much as his classification.

“He’s really done well for us all year,” MA head coach Jonathan Lindsey said of Fultz. “He’s hit his way into the leadoff spot and he’s really done a good job. He sets the tone for us ever ball game.”

And should the Longhorns win six more games and capture the state crown, rest assured that Fultz will have made at least one pivotal play somewhere along the way.