Horizon’s baseball program retired Tuffy Gosewisch’s No. 2 Tuesday during a pregame ceremony in which Gosewisch chocked up.

Horizon assistant Bob Strachan told Gosewisch, the Arizona Diamondbacks catcher, at a young age that he’d be Horizon’s catcher by the time he turned 18.  

“Sure enough, I was,” said an emotional Gosewisch during his speech before Horizon’s game against Corona del Sol.

The time he spent at his alma mater helped shaped Gosewisch into the man and ballplayer he is today, and he thanked Horizon’s baseball family Tuesday for the life lessons it imparted.  

Gosewisch also thanked his immediate family, including another former Horizon baseball talent, Gosewisch's brother, Chip, whose No. 3 is already retired by Horizon. Chip graduated in 1995, six years before Gosewisch made his exit from Horizon before attending Arizona State.

Gosewisch’s No. 2 was placed next to Chip’s No. 3 on the right field fence of Eric Kibler Field, where the retired numbers of four other players also hang. Before wrapping up his speech, Gosewisch relayed some valuable advice to the young ballplayers at the game.

“There’s a lot more to life than baseball,” he said.

Focusing on just baseball can lead to burnout, Gosewisch added.

Horizon’s baseball team apparently paid heed, ending Tuesday’s game early with the help of a 9-run second inning. Horizon wound up defeating Corona del Sol 10-0 in five innings.