Nine sophomores from the South Coast Conference Co-North Division champion Pasadena City College baseball team are now committed to 4-year universities, the most in any one year under head coach Pat McGee.
The most recent signings were made by All-SCC First Team catcher Cole Pilar to NCAA Division II Azusa Pacific University and by rightfielder and 2018 All-SoCal selection Shane Ogata, who is heading to NAIA Simpson University (Redding).
All-State and SCC Pitcher of the Year Gordon Ingebritson was the first to sign last November when he inked a scholarship to DI UC Irvine.
Other DII scholarships were gained by 2-time, All-SCC infielder (second base in 2018, shortstop in '19) Ryan Lewis to Cal State Los Angeles, relief pitcher Matt Orozco to Cal Poly Pomona, while three Lancers continue on as teammates at Cal State Dominguez Hills in All-SCC Second Team pitchers Patrick Pena and Lorenzo Llorens along with top reliever Frank Gonzalez. Designated hitter and first baseman Austin Ruiz committed to NAIA Master's University (Santa Clarita).
In just five years, McGee has produced 37 players that earned baseball scholarships to universities.
BASEBALL ALUMNI PERFORMING WELL
After earning All-NEC First Team honors and helping DI Long Island University-Brooklyn (New York) make the NCAA Regionals as a junior, shortstop Alex Briggs (Class of 2017) tied for team leads in home runs (four) and doubles (12) while pacing the Blackbirds with 87 total bases in his senior year.
Andres Kim (2017), a second baseman, was third on the team in batting at .321 in his senior year at DI South Carolina Upstate.
Joe Quire (2015-2016 PCC All-Sports Men's Athlete of the Year) was an All-West Region Second Team selection as a second baseman in his senior year at APU. Quire batted .284 with nine home runs, 47 RBI and a strong .977 fielding percentage.
Jimmy Cramer (2016) was second on the team in batting at .350 in his senior season as an outfielder at Salem University (West Virginia) to go with three home runs, 35 RBI and 22 stolen bases.
Jose Jimenez (2018) batted a team third-best .324 in his junior year as the starting third baseman at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Nathan Garkow (2018) earned All-PacWest Third Team honors after pitching as a sophomore with a 6-3 record and 3.53 ERA at Point Loma Nazarene.