Ayala High School junior shortstop Kyle Velazquez has committed to NCAA Division I St. Mary’s.
Velazquez hit .407 last year as a sophomore, starting on the varsity. He had eight doubles, 14 RBI, 19 runs scored and eight stolen bases in helping the Bulldogs to an 18-13 record and third-place finish in the tough Palomares League.
He visited the school last month and also made trips to USC, Arizona, Texas-Arlington, New Mexico and Cal Baptist. The decision came down to St. Mary’s and New Mexico.
“I really like the head coach. He’s a great guy,” Velazquez said. “And I really felt at home the minute I set foot on the campus.”
Velazquez, who plans to major in business, didn’t feel the need to wait and see if any other offers came along.
“This way the decision is done and it’s a lot less stress,” he said. “I can focus on keeping my academics up and working on my game.”
