Vanatta, Pearish onto JUCO

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Sports

July 31, 2014 - 12:00 AM

Two former Humboldt High baseball standouts are moving to the collegiate level next season.
Grayson Pearish and Caleb Vanatta also starred for Iola’s American Legion team over the summer.
Pearish will pitch for Independence Community College, while Vanatta is headed to Neosho County Community College.
Humboldt High baseball coach Mike Miller said the Pearish should be a welcome addition for ICC.
“He will throw a lot of strikes for you,” Miller said. “In big games, he always seems to step it up and really pitch his best. He doesn’t walk a lot of guys.
“He will develop his secondary and third pitches as well,” Miller continued. “That will make him even more effective.”
Pearish chose Independence because he heard good things about head coach Beau Schultz.
“They got a new coach a couple years back and their program was doing very good,” Pearish said. “I also heard a lot about how the coach was with his ball players and getting them to the next level.”
Pearish said his high school coaches, Miller and assistant Jay Carpenter, and his dad, Doug, helped him get to this point in his career. He hopes he will continue playing after Independence.
“I’d like to go to a four-year school and play,” Pearish said. “If I got an opportunity to play further than that, I would take the chance in a heartbeat.”
Pearish said he’ll miss making more memories with the friends he played with since he was 9.
His most recent statistics from the American Legion season were on par with how he pitched for Humboldt. He went 7-0 with a 1.89 ERA in 45 innings. He also had 37 strikeouts, while walking just 16 batters. He held opposing batters to a .220 average.

VANATTA’S season at the plate was just as dominant as Pearish’s was from the mound.
Vanatta led the Indians with a .542 on-base percentage, thanks in part to his team-leading 24 walks. He hit .402 with two home runs and 24 RBIs, while stealing 11 bases.
Along with Pearish, Vanatta hopes his baseball career can continue beyond Neosho County.
“I want to go to a four-year, a Division I is my dream, Vanatta said. “But, getting my school paid for and getting a good education would work, too.”
Miller said Neosho County was getting a solid batter.
“He hits the ball to all fields,” Miller said. “When he’s on base, he can steal bases and after a hit he takes an extra base whenever he can. He’ll continue to get stronger and develop more power.”
There will be challenges, though, as Vanatta faces tougher competition.
“I think adjusting to that level of play, but that’s just college for everybody,” Vanatta said, “especially coming out of a small school.”
Vanatta will miss his teammates and coaches the most after moving on from high school baseball. He said they, along with his dad, Dustin, are the reason he’s gotten to this opportunity in his life.

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