Sophomore Thomas Sanchez (Onalska, WI/Holmen) of the Marshalltown Community College Men's Baseball team has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Golden Lions next season. UAPB is a NCAA Division I institution and a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
"They have a very successful program," Sanchez stated in regards to his decision. "They play against some quality competition but they have a good track record against those opponents, including some strong Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams."
The Golden Lions won the SWAC West championship in 2015, finishing with a 17-6 league record and a 25-16 overall mark.
"It seemed like a good baseball atmosphere," said Sanchez following his official visit. "The coaching staff is dedicated to improving their players both on and off the field. I felt like I gelled with the team on my visit. They're a welcoming group of guys."
Jon Tatum, the UAPB recruiting coordinator saw more than just a baseball player in Sanchez. "Thomas' character and integrity fits into what we look for in a student-athlete and we expect great things from Thomas. He'll be a very valuable asset to the Golden Lions next year. He is a quality left handed arm that will pitch many significant innings for us."
In his freshman season at MCC, Sanchez was named an All-Region XI Honorable Mention selection after posting a team-best 1.61 earned run average out of the bullpen. The southpaw appeared in 18 games and allowed just four earned runs in 22.1 innings. Sanchez finished the year 1-1 with three saves.
"When I first came to Marshalltown," Sanchez continued, "I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into, but after finding out how competitive baseball is here, I was surprised. After just one year so far I can say that it was the best decision for me to come here. Two years with coach (Rich) Grife has helped me tremendously, from the time I stepped on campus to now it's been a huge difference."
"Overall, Marshalltown is a great place to advance your career, both academically and athletically. I've met a lot of great people here and it's just been a great experience. Again, it was the best decision for me to come here."
Coach Grife commended Sanchez for a strong freshman year and looks forward to another successful season in 2016. "Thomas is a great kid, both on the mound and in the classroom. You could tell after last season that he would end up at a strong program like UAPB. The way he pitches, he'll be successful wherever he goes, in whatever role he's in. That's one of the best aspects of Thomas, he's a versatile pitcher that can help his team out in a number of ways."
Sanchez intends on studying Business Administration at UAPB. He was named to the NJCAA Academic All-Region XI Second-Team as a freshman.
