Sophomore Austin Gridley (Fairfield, IA/Fairfield) of the Marshalltown Community College Baseball team has signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Northwest Ohio Racers. Gridley becomes the third Tiger to sign with a four-year institution this year.
The Racers, an NAIA institution located in Lima, OH, recorded the most successful season in program history in 2015, posting a record of 40-11 overall, including a 28-5 mark in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. The Racers also advanced to the NAIA World Series.
Sam Mote, a former assistant coach at Iowa Western Community College in 2015 and now an assistant at Northwest Ohio, had the privilege to see Gridley pitch on multiple occasions as a freshman. "For me, I was fortunate enough to see Austin when he pitched against us last year and obviously his talent was undeniable when I was there," Mote expressed. "I really liked the way he competed on the mound. He had great command of three pitches."
"When I took the job at Northwest Ohio, obviously Austin was one of the top guys on my list. Knowing the staff at MCC as well as I do, when I took this job, it was a no-brainer to go after a guy like Austin. I think he'll fit right in here, we're really excited about him. We have a good blend of junior college guys, incoming high school players, and a strong returning class for the upcoming season. We're fortunate to sign Austin and looking forward to getting him on campus."
Gridley made 10 starts as a freshman, pitching 46.0 innings, the second-most on the team. Gridley struck out a team-high 48 batters. Gridley faced Iowa Western twice, pitching 10 innings, striking out 10 batters.
Gridley pointed to a number of factors that played into his decision to sign with the Racers. "The coaches seemed like they really cared for me and were focused on getting their players better, not just on the field, but academically as well. When they came to Marshalltown to talk with me, they had a passion for their program and they success they've had in all areas."
"They have great facilities out there and with the recruiting class they have coming in, it seems like we'll have an even better year next year. I'm looking forward to making the adjustment to the next level, I just have to keep working."
MCC assistant coach Chris Beall sees Northwest Ohio as a good destination for Gridley. "It's a good spot for him. They were looking for upfront power arms and Austin definitely fits that need. They're a very competitive team and that will give him a chance to continue his education and baseball development."
"It's always good when you can send a player to a coaching staff that you know is really going to work with their players," Beall stated in regards to his previous experiences with Mote. "Sam will strive to put the best team on the field each day and that's what any player wants, a chance to win."
"Austin gained a lot of first-hand experience as a freshman, being a weekend starter for us," Beall added. "I think a lot of times freshman year is a learning experience, especially with a competitive schedule like ours. Austin had the chance to face it from the very beginning and we expect him to build on that for his final season at MCC."
Gridley joins Thomas Sanchez (Onalaska, WI/Holmen) who signed with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Kolton Gonnerman (Centerville, IA/Centerville) who signed with Missouri State University to ink letters with four-year institutions.
