Double Trouble

Twin brothers Mark and Trent Nagata came to the Quakers because Penn was the only school to recruit them together. Most college students abhor the idea. The very notion to them is revolting. To even mention it is enough to send a shudder down any scarred youth who has not had the pleasure of growing up an only child -- going to college with a sibling. Such a thought contradicts everything most kids have worked and fought for the first 18 years of their young lives. What is college, if not a means to get away from the ones we care about most? Yet, for two gargantuan members on the Penn baseball team, it's a situation that was not only desirable, but one they actively sought coming out of high school. Juniors Mark and Trent Nagata were eight years old when they picked up their first bats. They insist -- despite being raised by a man who played his college ball at Ohio University with the likes of Philadelphia Phillies Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt -- they were not pushed into the sport. On the contrary, they claim, their parents made a point of allowing the two to choose the sport of their choice growing up. Luckily for Penn, the two chose baseball and have never wavered in their love for the game. That there is a bond between the two is undeniable, and it is not due solely to their being twins. In Little League days, their father was the coach, which not only gave the two their choice of position both in the batting order and on the field, but also enabled them to play on the same team. Playing together left them both with a comfort level and a friendship that continued into high school. At Fort Myers High School in Florida, one of the most competitive states for baseball in the country, the two played for four quietly successful years. Both were All-State and Mark played in Florida's state All-Star Game his senior year. Their success in Florida meant little to the brothers, however, unless it enabled them to get into a top-notch university. A year at the Hill Preparatory School in Pottstown, Pa., during which they led their team to the state prep championship, enabled the two to show the colleges their academic as well as athletic abilities. The twins were actively recruited by several of the Ivies. With the likes of Dartmouth, Harvard and Princeton wooing the pair separately, the decision came down to the chance to go to school together, an option only one Ivy, Penn, made available. "Being twins, we have a unique relationship," Mark said. "We've been best friends all our lives." Like many students, the pair see college as their last opportunity to be kids before the reality of the real world comes crashing down on them after graduation. Unlike most students, however, they also see these last few years as their final chance to enjoy each other's company, before the pursuit of careers and families pull them their separate ways. "We've always had each other to play with and hit with whenever we wanted," Mark said. "This is our last opportunity, more or less, and we wanted to stay together." Both admit having the other there made the transition to Penn easier. Though the success the two have had varies, with Mark coming off of a year in which he was second team All-Ivy as a designated hitter and Trent playing more of a utility role, each acknowledges the other as a large part in his achievements. "It's nice having my brother here," Mark said. "We help each other on and off the field. Most people have a best friend, but to have it with my brother, on the field, is different. It's a lot nicer and a lot more comfortable." "We always have somebody to talk to," Trent said. "We can reach each other really well, especially when one of us is down. It's nice to have somebody there who knows you so well." Though the season is still young, it appears this year will be no different for the pair. Mark is hitting .431 with five doubles and two home runs in 17 games. Trent, hitting at a .238 clip through 24 games, also has three dingers to his credit. Their goals for the season, as a whole, are strictly team-oriented, as the brothers hope to help Penn reclaim the Gehrig Division championship. A rematch with Princeton, which foiled Penn's effort to repeat as Ivy champs last year, would be ideal. "Team-wise, we have the potential to win the Ivy League," Mark said. "We have the talent. Individually, I want to do the best I can, just like anybody else. Play as hard as I can and whatever is going to come up, comes up."