Eight St. Thomas University baseball players who graduated from Miami Lakes area high schools, are making a big impact for the Bobcats during their 2018 season.
The Bobcats (11-2) are seeking a return to the NAIA College World Series, where they fell one inning short of winning the national championship in 2016.
Last year, St. Thomas lost in the NAIA Championships as the No. 2 ranked team.
Former American High pitchers Danger Guevara and Tyler Morales, Mater Lakes alumni Rene Arauz and former Barbara Goleman player Ramid Alvarez are among the aces for head coach Jorge Perez, giving the Bobcats depth at a position that will determine how far the No. 9 ranked NAIA team can advance.
Facing Claflin University and Barry University last month, Arauz, a sophomore, fanned eight batters, while Morales struck out two hitters from Barry University and Nova Southeastern University.
Arauz also gave up eight hits in the two games.
The Bobcats are hoping Arauz can pick up where he left off in last year’s post season.
In the Sun Conference semifinal Championship Tournament, Arauz was outstanding in a no-decision for the Bobcats, as he shut out the Keiser Seahawks for the first six innings of the contest before the Bobcats squandered a 10-0 lead.
St. Thomas lost the game 12-11 on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Former Barbara Goleman infielder Erick Delgado is also on the 2018 roster for St. Thomas. The University of North Georgia transfer recorded a .500 batting average with 17 hits and 12 runs scored against Florida Memorial University, a pair of double-headers against Claflin University and Barry University, and a showdown with Nova Southeastern University.
Last week, he was the Golden Rake recipient of the game against Florida National University, batting 1-for-3 with a three run home run to lift his team to a 8-3 victory.
Redshirt sophomore infielder Gus Guerra, who graduated from Pace, is expected to be used a lot this season for his speed and hitting, and he plays solid defense.
Freshmen pitcher Michael Pope-Diaz, who graduated from American High, is ready when called upon to take the mound, and former Mater Academy outfielder Michael Sanchez, a junior, is solid with his bat and base running.
In his 10th season as St. Thomas head coach, Perez is looking to guide the Bobcats to a 10th consecutive appearance in the Sun Conference Tournament and a seventh berth in the NAIA National Tournament.