Despite the Covid-19 shortened season in 2020, the MSJC baseball team has six players moving on to the four-year level after earning scholarships.
The Eagle baseball team was 19 games into their season before the pandemic ended the year in mid-March. MSJC had some exciting things going on at the time the season was called under first-year head coach Mike Lonsdale. The Eagles were 4-2 in Inland Empire Athletic Conference games and were on a four-game winning streak when the season abruptly ended.
Ricky Nunez, an outfielder from Eastvale Roosevelt HS, was only able to play in two games before his season was cut even shorter due to an injury. The highly touted middle of the order hitter still earned a scholarship to Cal Poly Pomona despite his challenges in 2020. "CPP is the perfect fit for Ricky. Being from Eastvale, CA he plans to live at home with his family while joining one of the top D2 baseball programs in the country. Ricky will have an immediate positive impact on the field and will continue to excel academically." said Lonsdale.
Joseph Hauck the Eagles two-year starter in center field has signed a scholarship with Cal State Stanislaus. Hauck played in all 19 of MSJC's games in 2020; hit a homerun, drove in 13 runs, and led the team in stolen bases with 12. Hauck came to MSJC from Rancho Christian High School in Temecula. D.J. Downen, who primarily played first base and in the outfield the past two years for the Eagles has signed to continue his career at Park University in Gilbert, Arizona. Downen is an alum of Murrieta Valley High School and this past season had a homerun and 5 RBIs in 8 games played.
Infielder Gabriel Ponce De Leon from Murrieta Mesa High School played in 16 of MSJC's 19 contests this season hitting .299 on the year with 9 RBIs. Ponce De Leon earned a scholarship to Cal State San Marcos and will compete in the same NCAA Division II conference as Hauck and Nunez.
Gilbert Jaurez out of Beaumont High is the only pitcher leaving the 2020 Eagles for a four-year school. Juarez has signed with Marymount University of California. Juarez made 7 pitching appearances including 2 starts this past season and closed the year with an ERA of 5.14. "Gil was recruited nationally by universities of every division of college baseball this summer. He ultimately chose to stay close to family in Southern California with his decision. It's going to be very exciting to watch Gil earn his degree while pitching in a great NAIA conference over the next few seasons," added Lonsdale.
Outfielder Peter Brooks who played in 16 games this season and led the team in walks with 19 has also signed a scholarship for the 2021 season with Missouri Baptist University. Brooks who had a pair of homeruns and 11 RBIs on the season came to MSJC from Redlands High School.
The Eagles and Coach Lonsdale look forward to getting back on the field soon and can't wait to compete in 2021. "We are very proud to have provided opportunities to every sophomore in our first season as a coaching staff. The opportunities earned are a direct reflection of the work put in on the field and in the classroom by our Student-Athletes. Possibly most exciting of all, are the handful of players who received scholarship offers but decided to return to MSJC for another season. Both assistants, Jake Hansen and Jared Morton did an outstanding job with our recruiting efforts and we can't wait to see what opportunities the next year brings our program."