CRESTVIEW — Former Crestview High School baseball standout Tate Sweatt's baseball journey will continue later this month, when he arrives at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La.
The 2013 Crestview graduate — who spent the past two seasons playing for Pensacola State College — said several factors convinced him to sign with the Colonels earlier this summer.
“Chase Jaramillo (a former Bulldog player who graduated in 2006) went there and he had good things to say about it,” Sweatt said. “I liked the environment. It felt like home, so it’s probably a good place for me to go.”
Pensacola State Coach Keith Little praised Sweatt’s work ethic to get to Division I.
“Tate came to us as a walk-on and, through his hard work in the classroom (achieving Academic All-Panhandle Conference honors) and on the field, he earned a scholarship his sophomore year,” Little said in a media release. “I’m extremely proud that he has now earned a Division I scholarship to play at Nicholls.”
Crestview baseball Coach Tim Gillis is excited for his former player, whom the Colonels likely will put near the top of the batting order and play in the outfield.
“I’m so proud of Tate,” Gillis said. “He’s had a great career. His senior year was unbelievable for us.
“He’s what hard work is all about.He worked hard and put himself in position to keep moving up, level by level."
Sweatt has all the physical tools as well as the mental and baseball intangibles to have continued success at Nicholls, Gillis said.
“Baseball IQ is not something people think a lot about, but he’s got it, and I think it’s a tremendous help,” Gillis said. “He knows the game. He knows the small part of the game, too, moving runners up, taking the extra base, throwing to the right base in the outfield.
“He’s an above-average runner and he’s got an above-average arm in the outfield, too. He can play every outfield position and he can go get it. He’s got a lot of upside.”
Nicholls State is in the same conference, the Southland Conference, as the University of New Orleans, where former Crestview teammate Dakota Dean will play next year, and Dean’s older brother, Blake, is head coach.
Sweatt said he looks forward to squaring off against his old friends.
In addition, he knows a big challenge lies ahead, but he’s ready to take it on as he sets new goals.
“I just want to go there and be a good leader,” he said. “I want to help my team win the conference and see if we can make it to Omaha (Nebraska and the College World Series).
"I could be drafted one day — that would be good too.”
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Sweatt, former Crestview baseball standout, signs with Nicholls State