 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Mustang signs with D-II school
By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer TRINITY -- Leo Loiacano knows that as the Mitchell baseball program grows, better players than he will don the black and gold, earning scholarships to bigger schools. But not everyone can make history. The graduated senior catcher becomes the first Mustang to sign with a college ballclub. "Leo is the first baseball player here from Mitchell to sign and go on to school, and we're very excited and happy about it," Mustangs coach Phil Bell said. "I'm sure he'll do a great job of representing the school, his parents, and everyone in the program. "He's a hard working kid, a hard-nosed young man, and one who will hopefully make the best of the opportunity to go there." Loiacano said making history wasn't what he set out to do as he and his parents searched for a college where he could play ball. But when Falcons coach Ray Bonnett asked Loiacano to sign with Division II Fairmont (W.Va.) State College, he appreciated what it meant to the program. "I never really thought about that, but it's pretty exciting to start a new tradition at Mitchell," Loiacano said. "But there are a lot of great players under me coming up this year, and they'll probably have the chance to send a couple to Division I. "But for me to be there and see the beginning of Mitchell baseball, that's kind of neat." The 6-foot, 180-pound Loiacano batted .298 his senior season with eight RBIs, seven doubles and a triple. He batted .387 as a junior in Mitchell's first year. At Fairmont, Loiacano will compete for the chance to be the Falcons' catcher of the future. He has been offered a partial scholarship, but Loiacano said he was told what grant money does not pay for, the scholarship will cover. Loiacano hopes to earn a full scholarship "after I prove myself." Bell said Fairmont's coaches won't be disappointed. "They're going to get a hard-nosed kid who will run through a wall for them," Bell said. "That's the type of kid they're looking for, and hopefully Leo will be able to learn their system and help their program any way they can. "They're getting someone who is serious about his academics and somebody who will help the program anyway he can, whether it's catching, catching in the bullpen, playing first base, anything." Bell said that it will be Loiacano's batting, however, that will get him onto the field fastest. "The guys who hit are going to be the guys who play, the coach told me," Bell said. Said Loiacano: "I'm coming in knowing I've got to prove myself hitting-wise. If I start hitting, I have a great chance of playing a lot of games my first year, if not, I'll be redshirted. "Right now, I'm supposed to learn the system so I can take over in a few years."
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From today's Pasco Times Letters |
