USM Student Will Pitch for Jacksonville University Next Year

He's been playing baseball since he was old enough to walk into the backyard and pick up a ball with his dad, and next year senior Josh Baker will pitch for the Dolphins of Jacksonville University in Florida.

Earning athletic and academic scholarships, Baker said he isn't worried about balancing Division 1 baseball with schoolwork because he's already had practice doing that at USM.

"It's hard to balance school now, but I've learned enough over the high school years how to do that," he said.

With Wisconsin winter freezing the baseball diamond, Baker is currently playing basketball for USM. He said he is looking forward to being able to play baseball year-round in Florida.

"I think the whole aspect of being down south out of the cold and playing baseball is one of things that drew me to Jacksonville," he said.

In Jacksonville, Baker said he will start out switching between pitching and being in the outfield, although the coaches might eventually dedicate him to one position.

Baker said he likes pitching because it puts him at the center of the game.

"When you’re on the mound, you pretty much have control of the whole game, which is something that has come easy to me," Baker said. "If you ask any of my close friends, I’m not the kind of kid that’s always the most vocal, but when it does come down to getting something done and taking leadership I can step up."

Looking back on his time in high school, Baker credits USM for shaping him as a person as well as a player.

"I've been going to USM since daycare and I wouldn't change anything if I had the chance," he said. "They don't just teach you academics; you learn skills to talk to older people, you learn manners, and you learn life lessons that I feel like I wouldn't have learned at another school. It's made me the person I am – and that's a good thing."