Three Blue Mountain Community College baseball players signed their National Letters of Intent Wednesday to continue playing baseball at four-year universities.
Nate Cantonwine, a catcher and outfielder for the Timberwolves from Salem, will return to his hometown to play for Corban University to complete his bachelor’s degree in business. In his two years at BMCC, Cantonwine had 42 RBIS, 20 doubles, and four home runs, and was selected to the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) East Region 1st team as a catcher this season. He is on pace to graduate with an Associate of Science Oregon Transfer/Business degree later this month, and currently has a 3.89 GPA.
“Nate is very deserving of a scholarship to Corban,” said Brad Baker, BMCC’s head baseball coach. “He has been a model student-athlete at BMCC, excelling in the classroom and on the baseball field. His hard work in the classroom, field, weight room, and his extra work hitting might be unmatched by any student-athlete I’ve coached.”
Colton Walker, a standout pitcher from The Dalles, will head to Bellevue University in Nebraska this fall, where he’ll continue to pursue a degree in criminal justice. He won nine games on the mound in two seasons, which is towards the top of any BMCC pitcher in school history, while recording 104 strikeouts. Walker is on pace to graduate later this month, and currently has a 3.51 GPA.
“Colton has been an excellent student-athlete at BMCC,” Baker said. “His hard work on the baseball field, classroom, and the weight room are towards the top of any player I have coached. Colton was a positive leader on the team who has a bright future in front of him.”
Jerrett Plunkett, an outfielder from Spirit Lake, Idaho, will head to South Dakota to play for Dakota State University. Plunkett played in 23 games during his time at BMCC and recorded three multi-hit games during conference this season. He is on pace to graduate with an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degree and currently has a 3.48 GPA. He is also a peer tutor in the Student Success Center.
“Jerrett has been an awesome student-athlete to coach at BMCC,” Baker said. “He will be a great addition to Dakota State in the outfield and in the classroom. Jerrett, a kid who is always smiling and always has a positive attitude, is well-respected by his teammates and coaches.”
