Carlsbad native and San Marcos High alum Max Farrell is grinding through his freshman season at San Diego State — and doing it the only way he knows how: one pitch at a time. Now hitting .280 with six home runs and 31 RBIs, Farrell has leaned into a blue-collar mindset as he adjusts to the speed and demands of Division I baseball. “The biggest adjustment is the pace of play and the level of play,” Farrell said. “You don’t have time to soak in a bad performance or live in the success of the last game — you have to focus on each game, each pitch.” Aztecs head coach Kevin Vance has taken notice. “Max is the hardest worker on our team,” Vance said. “We have to tell him to go home, stop hitting in the cage. That’s the type of kid he is.” From learning a new position at first base to moving around the batting order, Farrell has embraced every challenge — with help from veteran teammates and a strong local support system. “Playing at Tony Gwynn Stadium is everything I’ve been dreaming o...