CCSN baseball signs 10 LV-area players

Spencer Patterson

Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2002 | 10:35 a.m.

For most high school athletes, there's no dream greater than that of a Division I scholarship. For others, the dream goes beyond the bounds of college sports.

On Tuesday, the Community College of Southern Nevada signed 10 area baseball players to letters of intent, including a pair of highly recruited athletes who had firm offers to play for Division I schools.

Basic infielder Micah Schnurstein and Silverado first baseman/pitcher Tyler Coon opted to sign with the Coyotes because they felt the program might start them on the best path toward a professional baseball career.

"It makes sense if you have aspirations of being a professional player," CCSN coach Tim Chambers said. "If you come here, you give yourself three shots at the draft. And if you come here and you're successful, the chance of you going Division I is still very good."

Also signing with the Coyotes were: Las Vegas infielder Sean Kazmar, Durango pitcher Jeff Jacobsen, Durango first baseman Don Sutton, Cheyenne pitcher Ryan Prince, Foothill infielder Rick Cerrone, Foothill pitcher/infielder Jabe Beard, Palo Verde catcher Robbie Richards and Eldorado outfielder Chris Guerra.

Schnurstein, a member of the Sun's 2001 all-state first team who initially gave a verbal commitment to UNLV last year, changed his mind and opted to join a team that has gone 99-19 since joining the intercollegiate ranks.

"I want to go pro," said Schnurstein, a .476 hitter last year. "UNLV is a great school with a great program, but I didn't feel like Division I was the right step for me right away. This way, I keep my options open."

Coon went one step further, signing with Brigham Young in November and signing with the Coyotes on Tuesday. Though high school seniors may sign only one letter of intent with a four-year school, they can also sign one letter with a two-year program.

Coon said he still hasn't made up his mind which school he will attend, or whether he would go directly to the professional ranks if he is taken early in this summer's draft.

"I won't know what I'm going to do until the last minute," Coon said. "But I believe this is an up and coming team with new facilities and I want to be part of it."

Players who enroll at four-year schools must wait until after their junior year or 21st birthday to re-enter the draft. At two-year schools, players can be drafted, sign contracts and leave school at any time.

Kazmar also drew interest from several Division I schools, most notably Hawaii.

"I think it would be better for me to start at a two-year school and then go Division I," Kazmar said. "And I feel like we have a great chance to compete with everyone coming in and the people they have right now."

Chambers expects to add another player to his incoming class today: catcher C.J. Ebarb of Jasper (Texas) High, cousin of Coyotes assistant coach Rich Ebarb.

"With the class we had last year and these freshmen coming in, we might be able to get over the hump in the playoffs," Chambers said. "We may be ready to make a charge at trying to go to a (Junior College) World Series."

CCSN opens its season with a two-game homestand against Arizona Western Jan. 25-26.