By JASON KETZ
Sports Editor

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — Senior starting pitcher Carlos D’Armas is continuing to play the game that he loves thousands of miles away from home in La Victoria, Venezuela.

“I started playing baseball when I was 4 years old,” D’Armas said. “I would go to the baseball field on my own to practice and really learned to love the game.”

D’Armas would give up baseball for a few years, but came back to the sport around the time he finished high school. The coaching staff of Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas, noticed him with an online video and offered him a spot on the team.

During his time at Coffeyville, D’Armas was a first team All-Jayhawk East selection after going 6-2 with a 2.35 earned run average. Striking out 47 batters in over 61 innings pitched helping the Ravens to a program best 38 wins in 2014.

“During my time at Coffeyville it was very hard for me because I didn’t really speak English that well,” D’Armas said. “But my coach Joe Martin taught me a lot about being tough and the importance of working hard to get better.”

Mules head baseball coach Kyle Crookes is credited with recruiting D’Armas to come to UCM after his first two years at Coffeyville.

“He came from a program that is what I consider a highly thought of program for pitchers,” Crookes said. “Watching him pitch a high 80’s-low 90’s fastball with a nice secondary pitch is something that is hard to find.”

On his official visit to campus, D’Armas really liked the campus, the rich baseball tradition of UCM and his eventual head coach.

“(Crookes) brings something different as a coach,” D’Armas said. “He’s my coach but also a friend because no matter the situation I know that I can talk to him about any issues I have and he is willing to help me out.”

In D’Armas’ first season with the Mules, he compiled a 3-1 record in 13 games pitched leading the team with a 3.28 era and striking out 59 batters in just 60.1 innings pitched. He threw one complete game and finished six games with at least five strikeouts, earning him a third team All-MIAA selection. He was also named to the conference academic honor roll.

“In terms of pure velocity and secondary pitches, Carlos has the best stuff on our pitching staff,” Crookes said. “He may not be the fastest working pitcher, but he’s the ultimate competitor and wants the ball in his hand when the game is on the line.”

This season, Carlos has a record of 2-1 with a 3.96 era and has struck out 40 batters and walked 10 in 36.1 innings. Twice already this season he has recorded double-digit strikeouts against St. Cloud State in Houston on Feb. 7 and against Central Oklahoma in a seven-inning shutout performance en route to a 6-2 win on March 13.

“He’s a power pitcher,” said Blake Wilfong, Mules junior catcher. “If he is able to get ahead in the count, he’s very effective especially when he has good command of his secondary pitches.”

Through the first 24 games of the season, the Mules baseball team has a record of 16-8 overall and is sitting atop the conference standings at 14-3.

The team has won five games in a row, including a 5-1 win over Lindenwood on Tuesday night.

“Our goal is to go to the (College) World Series, man,” D’Armas said. “We want to get back to the Series to carry on the tradition of this program.”

As a graduating senior, D’Armas’ ultimate goal is to continue his baseball career in the United States, given the amount of opportunities. But if that does not work out, with a degree in sports management, Carlos wants to give opportunities to aspiring baseball players back home in Venezuela.

“Since I am able to speak both Spanish and English, I feel that an MLB team could use me to scout kids down in Central America to come play in the United States to give them the same opportunities that I have had through baseball.”

The Mules are on the road this coming weekend to play Lincoln University, but will be back at home Friday, April 8-10, against Emporia State with Friday’s first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.