Harrison Twins Prepare to Part Ways

The Mustacato twins have played on the same athletic teams for most of their lives. This year they were both very important pieces in the Harrison baseball team's run to the section championship game.

Ryan Mustacato was a pitcher and an outfielder for the Huskies this year and did well with both of his jobs. At the plate, Ryan only hit .231 but his keen eye brought his on base percentage all the way up to .375. In the field he played nearly perfect with a fielding percentage of .900. On the mound Ryan had a high earned run average, but in just twelve innings pitched he struck out nineteen batters.

Dominick is a whopping eight minutes younger then his twin brother, but he was equally as important to Harrison's success this season. He was the Husky's most experienced catcher and he preformed well both offensively and defensively. At the plate, Dominick hit .333 scoring a run and knocking in another during the season. He also threw out twenty percent of the runners that tried to steal on him this year.

They have also played on other sports teams and in a band together. Both of the Mustacato boys said they are glad they had one another on the baseball team this year.

"There are many drills that we do the require us to go in pairs," Ryan said. "Me and Dom were always doing those drills together."

"It was very special for me to play one of my last baseball seasons with my brother," said Dominick. "Although sometimes it's easy to argue with him, i enjoyed this season immensely."

The duo also shares the bond on the baseball field as pitcher and catcher. Even though their relationship on the field never matured like both Ryan and Dominick would have liked, they were both appreciative for the uniqueness of the experience.

"Catching for Ryan has some positives and negatives," said Dominick. "I understand how he pitches and what pitches he likes to throw in different counts."

Over the years the boys have shared everything from toys to video games and up until the sixth grade they even had the unenviable task of sharing a bedroom. Now that the boys are grown, they share a car but neither one of them seems to mind.

"We have one car to share because we basically go to the same places and hang out with all the same kids," said Ryan.

Growing up the Mustacato twins were always in the same school but rarely in the same class. Next year the boys will be nearly 1,400 miles apart as they embark on the next chapter of their lives - college.

Ryan will be heading south to join the class of 2014 in Miami. He plans to study chemistry. On the other hand, Dominick is going north to study architecture at the University of Buffalo. 

With the boys going off to college, their older brother Tim recanted about a prank that his twin brothers pulled on their middle school teachers.

"It was April fool's day and they were in different classes, they decided to switch for the day," Tim said. "They both came home from school with huge smiles on their faces and told me and my parents about how their plan had worked. They had successfully switched classes for more than half the day and had to tell their teachers that they were not the twin who they thought they were."

That same personality is still with the boys today as they prepare to receive their diplomas from Harrison High School. It is that spirit that makes the seemingly identical twins, unique.