“Take Me Out to the Ball Game” isn’t the only song Horned Frog fans hear at Lupton Stadium during a baseball game.

Walk-up songs in baseball have become an important aspect of the game and vary in genres from hip-hop to rock to country.

Senior pitcher Steven Maxwell said he chose the punk rock song “Firestarter” by the English band Prodigy. He said he decided to keep his song from last year because he had a good season.

“It’s kind of a random song but it really gets me pumped up,” Maxwell said.

Sophomore third baseman Jantzen Witte and junior infielder Taylor Featherston went a different route with hip-hop music.

Witte, who is also using his song from last season, chose “Work” by Gang Starr. Witte said it takes him a while to choose a walk-up song because he had to narrow it down to his favorite.

Finding a song that will work for the audience is also a challenge, Witte said.

“You pick it before the season so you try to imagine what it will sound like and you don’t want it to be too pump up because there’s a lot of situations when the game is kind of boring,” he said.

“Turn it Up” by Chamillionaire is a new tune this season for Featherston. Last year he walked out to “Smile” by Slim Thug. He said he chose these songs because the rappers are from near his hometown in Houston and he wants to “represent H-Town.”

When it comes to pleasing the crowd, Maxwell said he is more concerned about what is going to energize him and his teammates.

“I guess in a way I’m kind of selfish and I want something that really gets me and maybe the guys playing behind me going versus something that gets the crowd going,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell said music is very important to him and his song applies to other aspects of his life, not just baseball.

“If I want to chill out then I’ll listen to some chill music but if I want to get fired up in any kind of situation then I’ll go with Prodigy,” he said.

Witte said “Work” is also relevant to his life outside of baseball.

“Everyday is a grind and I’m working it out,” Witte said.

As players strut up to the plate to their song of choice, a video plays on the screen of them performing a short routine.

Witte said when making those videos, they did not have music playing so for most of the players what they’re doing on the screen doesn’t really match up to their song.

“It’s kind of awkward, there’s no music playing or anything you just kind of stand there by yourself and there’s a camera on you for like 30 seconds and you’re standing there and you try to think of something so I like tried to act like it was a sword,” he said.

Unlike many of his teammates, Featherston says his song and dance match up perfectly.

“It actually does go with my routine on the screen, even though there was no music playing when they filmed it, it worked out,” Featherston said.