Patrick Engskov of Pulaski Academy follows grandfather’s path to Division I baseball with support from his dad, a former Arkansas Razorbacks basketball player

With a dad who played college basketball and won a national championship, and a grandfather who played and coached Division I baseball, it was pretty much a lock Patrick Engskov would excel at one of the sports. 

He played both for Pulaski Academy until he broke his ankle and decided on just baseball for his senior season.

“I probably would have played basketball, too, if I hadn’t broken my ankle,” said Engskov, a University of Oklahoma baseball signee. “It has been a big part of my life, and I have always loved basketball. It would have probably depended on which colleges were interested in me [in baseball], but my plan was to play basketball.”

The Engskov name is familiar with University of Arkansas basketball fans. John Engskov, a Berryville native, was a reserve on the 1994 Hogs national championship team as well as on the 1995 title game runner-up team.

So, from an early age, the hardwood and the Hogs were on Engskov’s mind.

“When I was little, I dreamed of playing in the NBA, NFL and MLB,” he said. “I think that is every little kid’s dream.”

But Engskov’s grandfather, Pat Harrison, was also a major influence. Harrison, a San Diego native, was a two-time baseball All-American at USC for legendary Trojans head coach Rod Dedeaux and later coached under him. Harrison also served assistant coaching stints at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., and Washington State before taking his first head coaching position at The Masters College in Los Angeles. He left that job to join Larry Cochell’s staff at OU, where the Sooners won two national championships. Harrison then became the head coach at Pepperdine and later Ole Miss. He was also a minor league hitting instructor in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

“Ever since I picked up a bat, [Harrison] has been showing me how to swing it,” Engskov said. “He is the one who really got me into baseball and loving the game. He has been the biggest blessing.”

Harrison, who has been settled in Arkansas for some time, taught lessons at different academies around central Arkansas and was a co-owner of a baseball facility in Bryant. One of the connections he made was with Texarkana native Dustin Moseley, who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds, Anaheim Angels, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. It was Moseley, who owns Proformance Sports Academy in Little Rock, who took Engskov’s mound abilities to the next level. 

“His knowledge of the game is so great,” Engskov said. “He is so baseball-minded hearing him talk. Training with him gave me the opportunity to work with college guys from Arkansas State and Arkansas-Monticello last summer. He is a role model for everybody, and it's just so great to work with him.”

With two high-level baseball tutors, dad hasn’t been left out. There was still plenty of basketball instruction to be had, but he resigned himself to the fact that summers were going to be spent on the baseball field and not in gyms playing AAU basketball.

“From the beginning, he has just put my best interest at heart,” Engskov said. “God has blessed me with a great dad. He has supported me all the way through and invested so much time and money and always been a great example.”

The elder Engskov couldn’t convince his younger son, Harrison, to concentrate on basketball, either. Harrison Engskov is a sophomore first baseman for the Bruins and is a college prospect.

“He just likes watching me and my brother excel in what we like to do and wants us to succeed in anything we do,” Engskov said. “He has accepted that baseball is what we want to do, and he has pushed us to be the best and has just been a good dad for us.” 

One of the brightest moments of the season for the brothers happened in a game against perennial power Sylvan Hills. Harrison Engskov, who has torn two ACLs, hit a home run to tie the score against the Bears. His older brother followed with a solo walk-off dinger. 

“That is something I’ll never forget,” he said. “I was so happy when [Harrison Engskov] hit that homer. I was yelling. Then, I hit mine. I think my mom shed tears over that.”

With the Engskovs helping to lead the charge, Pulaski Academy has enjoyed a successful season. The Bruins play the winner of the Harrison/Star City game in the Class 4A state tournament at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Nashville.

They got to that game with Engskov pitching 10 innings in a win against conference rival Joe T. Robinson in the 4A East Region Tournament. PA was a No. 3 seed and knocked off Brookland, which hosted the tournament, and then stunned No. 1 seed Robinson 4-1. Engskov, who is also a standout second baseman, gave up only one hit to the Senators.

“Looking back on that, that was stressful,” Engskov said. “Earlier in the season, they got the best of us twice, and Robinson is a really good team,” Engskov said. “[Robinson head coach Isaac Dulaney] does a nice job, and the guys have really bought into the system.

“My defense really came through. I tried doing my job and got eight strikeouts, but they had to get 12 outs. They had to make some great plays for me to stay in the game and pitch 10 innings. Having a defense behind you that can play like that, it really takes the stress off the pitcher. You can relax and throw strikes because you know they are going to make the play.” 

PA lost to Lonoke 6-4 in the regional final, but Engskov is optimistic PA’s season will end next week at Benton — the site of all the baseball state championship games.

“I have believed it all year,” Engskov said. “Early in the season we beat Jonesboro (Class 5A SBLive Super 7 No. 2) and really showed our true potential. We have Kel Busby, a sophomore, who already has Division I offers, and Caleb Rogers, who is going to Southeast Missouri State to play baseball, and my brother will play college baseball. We have all bought in and believe we are state title contenders. We showed everybody we are a team to be taken seriously.”

Whatever happens in the state tournament, it won’t be long, and Engskov will turn his attention to preparing to be a Sooner. He grew up familiar with the school his grandfather coached at and his mom, Colleen, attended. 

“Oklahoma is my dream school,” Engskov said. “My mom went there, and my grandfather coached there, so I always wanted to either go there or Arkansas. It is the biggest blessing to be able to play baseball there. That is God working.”