Paraclete grad plays two sports at La Verne

Reese playing baseball, soccer at La Verne

LANCASTER — Paraclete graduate Logan Reese had two main criteria for his college recruiting process that narrowed his search considerably.

Reese wanted the chance to continue playing two sports — baseball and soccer — at the collegiate level and his preferred major — special education — is not a common field of study.

Reese found a university that met those specifications in Southern California in the University of La Verne. The two-sport athlete signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the NCAA Division III school in the spring.

“I was trying to find a school that fit well with me and would make me succeed in life and what I want to do in life,” Reese said. “That was like the perfect scenario for me, was to go with both sports. But I’m very lucky to find a school that would let me do both.”

Reese was a center fielder on the varsity baseball team for two years and the goalkeeper on the varsity soccer team for four years.

“Logan Reese might be the most naturally

talented of the bunch and he uses his skills to the ultimate end,” Paraclete baseball coach Greg Burnias said. “He’s always out there working. He’s always going to track down every fly ball. He’s the hardest on himself than anyone else is going to be. He wants those perfect atbats. He wants to things the right way. He’s the ultimate competitor.

“There’s not too many people that get more frustrated than me if things don’t go right and he’s definitely one of them. He knows not only how to process it, but to make it better. He just doesn’t hold onto it. I see him pushing his teammates to try to get better as well, as he’s

trying to make himself better.”

Reese was second on the baseball team in batting average this spring, hitting 3.77 in 88 plate appearances in 25 games, with a team-high 24 runs scored and 21 RBIs. He was second on the team with 16 stolen bases.

The Spirits finished 20-5 overall, tied for first in the Gold Coast League at 111, and advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 semifinals, losing to Royal 4-1 on June 15.

The Paraclete boys soccer team also played this spring, finishing with

ALAN HENDRY/Valley Press Paraclete grad Logan Reese (center) is flanked by his father Mat Reese (left) and mother Shelley Reese (right) after signing his National Letter of Intent to play baseball and soccer at the University of La Verne earlier this year.