Video Tribute: The CMS Baseball Class of 2020
CLAREMONT, Calif. - The 10 members of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps baseball senior class were striving to end their careers by getting back to the postseason after a near miss a year ago. After taking two of three from Redlands in their last SCIAC series, that opportunity was denied by the sudden suspension of spring sports. However, the Class of 2020 brought the baseball program forward in each of their four seasons, and in lieu of the traditional home Senior Day at the final home game, we produced a video tribute instead.
Watch the tribute video here:
The 10 members of the CMS baseball Class of 2020 include:
#2 Henri Levenson (OF, Bedford, Mass. - Claremont McKenna, economics)
Levenson was a regular in the CMS lineup throughout his career, playing in 123 games in the CMS outfield. He crossed the 100-hit plateau as a junior, finishing with 129, including a .311 average with 31 RBI in 2018, earning All-SCIAC honors. He finished his senior season with a nine-game hitting streak, which began with two hits against No. 2 Cal Lutheran.
#3 Zach Clarke (SS, Lake Sherwood, Calif. - Claremont McKenna, economics)
Clarke took a huge leap his junior season when he fought his way into the starting lineup at shortstop, earning first-team All-SCIAC and third-team All-Region honors after leading the SCIAC with a .414 average. He was hitting .351 as a senior with two homers and nine RBI and was well on his way to the 100-hit club, standing at 81 when the 2020 season was suspended.
#5 Konnor Kwok (P, Mission Viejo, Calif. - Claremont McKenna, economics)
Kwok appeared in 37 games on the mound for the Stags over his four seasons, capped off by an inning of hitless relief as an eighth-inning set-up man against Caltech in his final appearance last weekend. He also threw seven innings with four hits and no earned runs against Redlands in 2017, and had a two-inning shutout relief effort in a tie with Bowdoin last year.
#7 Kevin Nakahara (OF, Kirkland, Wash. - Harvey Mudd, engineering)
Nakahara has been a mainstay in the CMS outfield for the last three seasons, appearing in 75 games after limited action as a freshman. He tallied 84 hits in his career, including 34 in each of his sophomore and junior seasons, and was one of the team's top base-stealers with 13 over those two seasons. He homered at Redlands this year, and scored three runs in his final game, an 11-8 win over Caltech on Saturday.
#10 Truman Miller (C, Bainbridge Island, Wash. - Claremont McKenna, economics)
A two-year member of the Stags, after previously playing at Bellevue CC, Miller batted .261 last year with 10 RBI as part of the team's catching platoon. He ended last year with a nine-game hitting streak, and had a 3-for-4 effort in a one-run game against Redlands. He also threw out nine base runners trying to steal in his shortened CMS career, and had only two passed balls in 40 games played.
#13 Nate Tolles (P, Piedmont, Calif. - Claremont McKenna, biology)
A four-year member of the Stag bullpen, Tolles appeared in nine games on the mound his first two seasons before losing his last two years to injury. He earned a win in 2017 with 3.1 innings of one-run relief with five strikeouts in a victory over Bard, and threw two innings of perfect relief with two strikeouts against Redlands. He allowed just seven hits combined over his nine career pitching appearances.
#20 Andrew Shults (OF, South Pasadena, Calif. - Claremont Graduate University, Information Systems and Technology)
After graduating from Grinnell with a year of eligibility left, Shults elected to return to SoCal for his final season with the Stags. He hit .387 during his career at Grinnell and reached base twice in each of his first three games at CMS, all Stag victories, while making several stellar defensive plays in left field. He concluded his career with a hit, stolen base and run scored last weekend in a win against Caltech.
#21 Brandon Louie (P, South Pasadena, Calif. - Claremont McKenna, biochemistry)
Louie was a key part of the CMS pitching staff his first two seasons, tallying a 5-3 record (3-0 as a sophomore) before his career was sidetracked by injury. As a sophomore, he started and threw six strong innings in a 6-4 win over Lewis & Clark, and earned the win in relief in a 4-3 victory over Castleton. As a freshman, he started and allowed one run on four hits in a win over Puget Sound.
#23 Cameron Cash (P, Bellaire, Texas - Claremont McKenna, economics and government)
Cash appeared in 41 games over his CMS career on the mound, tallying nine wins and four saves while striking out 96. As a junior, he had a five inning save against Redlands while allowing one run. As a sophomore, he allowed one run over six innings while striking out eight in a win over Bates, and as a freshman he got the win by closing with 2.2 innings of perfect relief in a 5-3 win against Occidental.
#25 Justin Hull (P, Palo Alto, Calif. - Claremont McKenna, economics)
Hull was a first-team All-SCIAC and third-team All-West Region selection last year, when he tallied an 8-1 record and a 2.45 ERA. He finished his career with a 17-8 record and a 3.70 ERA while striking out 181 batters and walking only 67. A year ago, he threw a complete-game three-hitter in a 2-1 win over Chapman, which went on to win the national championship, his first of three straight complete game wins.