Senior Matthew Schavone has committed to play baseball at the University of Nevada! The Friars right-handed pitcher shared, “I chose Nevada because I love the city of Reno and the beautiful state of Nevada. I wanted to leave home but also have a home feel at the same time and Nevada is pretty close to home so I felt that it is a perfect fit. The college atmosphere there is also extraordinary.”
He continued, “I believe that God created a path for me and Nevada Reno is another stepping stone on that path. What led me to the baseball program specifically was the past successes that they have had and the strength of their schedule. I also believe that it is somewhere I can go and make an immediate impact.”
A two-year varsity letterman for the Friars, Schavone served as a reliever his junior season before earning a spot in the the starting rotation for his senior campaign. To date he has started four games, pitching in five, while throwing 16.1 innings and tallying 15 strikeouts. Most recently, he got the victory on the mound in the Servite’s league win over St. John Bosco. In addition to pitching, Schavone also played some outfield for the Friars while batting over .300 on the season.
Coach Shawn Gilbert shared, “Matthew has done a great job for us in his short time as a pitcher. He’s a great competitor with a big upside as he continues to get more comfortable on the mound. He only started pitching for us as a junior after playing outfield the majority of this high school career.” He went on to say, “Matthew kept us in a lot of games this year showing a good feel to pitch and last season throwing out of the pen, he showed the ability to have plus stuff at times, a fastball in the upper 80’s and a good curve ball with hard breaking action. We are proud of Matthew and what he has been able to accomplish in a short period of time and his commitment to play D1 baseball at Nevada Reno. We look forward to his continued development at the next level and are excited to see what his future holds in college baseball.”
Schavone, who plans to study mechanical engineering at Nevada, has volunteered at a homeless shelter every Thanksgiving and Christmas during his time at Servite and has been involved with the Fashion Show as a student worker and participant. In addition, he volunteers at his grandmother’s bakery.
Schavone is the second Friar from the Class of 2020 to make his college decision joining Garret Guillemette who is headed to USC.
In closing Schavone shared, “I would like to thank my coaches for giving me the opportunity to be recruited, and creating a great baseball atmosphere. I would also like to thank my teammates for showing me how much fun baseball can really be, it was always a good time and I created my favorite memories at Servite with them everyday. I also have to thank my parents for working hard for me 24/7 and I sincerely mean this when I say I could not have done this without them. I love them endlessly and appreciate them everyday. All Glory to God!!!!”
Servite would like to congratulate Matthew on this accomplishment and wish him the best as he prepares to compete collegiately.
