Taylor Seaman’s father played minor league baseball with the Boston Red Sox organization, and her grandfather was also a professional baseball player. And while she began her sports career on the diamond, her prowess didn’t come at the plate.

“They kicked me off because I would do cartwheels in the infield,” Seaman said of her fourth-grade athletics experience. “I played shortstop, and I didn’t know that I had to cover second base when the ball was hit to the second baseman. Instead, I was off in La-La land doing handstands and stuff.”

Her infield routine has since been converted into a floor routine, and she powders up her hands instead of working in her mitt. But the energy she displayed during T-ball games is still visible in her performance.

“She’s pretty high-energy and is very bubbly and outgoing,” coach Mark Stevenson said. “If she’s having a bad day, it’s hard for her because she doesn’t like having bad days.”

The sophomore in elementary education had several good days in her freshman season, winning the all-around twice, the vault title once and placing seventh in both floor and uneven bars in the NCAA Southeast regional. She was also named to the first team all-around EAGL.

“She is a powerhouse,” fellow sophomore and roommate Lauren Deuser said. “Everyone likes to see her perform because she’s the best entertainer.”

She also entertains best in front of familiar audiences, if last season’s results are any indication. Seaman won the all-around twice, both in meets against colleges from her home state of Pennsylvania. She posted a 39.175 to win the final home meet against Pittsburgh last season after winning the all-around and tying for the vault championship in front of her friends and family at Penn State.

“It was like I knew everybody, so I felt like I had to put on a show. And my adrenaline was going, and I think it helped a lot,” Seaman said of the meet. “I just wanted to show them what I could do on my home turf.”

Though she didn’t fall in love with softball, Seaman said her dad’s experience in college and professional sports helped her to push herself.

“My dad knew what it took to go to the next level in sports, so he’s always there to give advice and tell me to keep on plugging,” she said.

Persistence and confidence are huge in a sport where nearly everything is mental, according to Seaman.

“It’s so different from other sports,” she said. “It’s a total mental game. It’s not having a ball and putting it in a goal. It’s all in your body.

“Who wants to flip twice and try to land on your feet? You either love it or you don’t.”

And judging by her sore ankles and freshman-season accolades, Taylor Seaman loves it.