By Jim Richards
For SMCC

SMCC diamond gems Nate Arevalo and Sophia Lujan will be wrapping up their terrific junior college careers over the next few days and both made sure they were going out in style.

SMCC baseball coach Todd Eastin noted that Arevalo (hitting, 410) is the school's first .400 hitter since wood bats were implemented instead of aluminum bats a few years ago. Lujan, a stellar defensive center fielder, is hoping to fulfill her dream of playing for nearby Grand Canyon University after hitting a team-high .446.

Eastin projects Arevalo to play at the NCAA Division II after receiving several offers. The 5-foot-9 inch, 185-pound sparkplug has played all over the infield as well as designated hitter for the Cougars after entering the program in 2005, an ACCAC-I championship season for the Cougars and one that Arevalo "out of Tucson Sunnyside High School" red-shirted.

"He's going to have some opportunities," Eastin said.

Lujan will likely have several opportunities as well, but according to SMCC softball coach Tony Maya, she?s honing in on Grand Canyon, an NCAA-II school. Maya said she?s been accepted to attend classes there, but has not heard a great deal from the softball program.

"The idea I get is she kind of wants to stay home," Maya said." GCU has told her to walk on. "We're trying to get her a scholarship there.

"She's got real good speed. She's a tremendous defensive player and has an above-average arm. She can lay down the bunt or hit with a little authority, too."