Two high school state champs from Oneonta are now competing for a title in college.

Micheal Calkins and Zach Pidgeon were key members of the Oneonta baseball team that won the state crown last year.

They are now both freshmen in college, Calkins with the University of Tampa in Division II and Pidgeon suits up for Ithaca College of Division III.

Ithaca is making its 12th trip to the NCAA Baseball Championships and will compete in the eight-team championship weekend beginning Friday in Appleton, Wisc.

Pidgeon says the experience is surreal.

"We play the No. 1 team right out of the gate on Friday, whose coach is actually Scott Bosius, the ex-third baseman from the Yankees," he said. "We all want it pretty bad, so I think we should do pretty well. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one to definitely soak up."

Ithaca will face Linfield in the opening round at 2:15 p.m. Friday.

The University of Tampa baseball team is set to compete at the 2013 NCAA Division II Championships at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

Calkins says hes very fortunate to go from winning program to winning program -- Oneonta to Tampa.

"We're just having a great season again out here," he said. "Our team's really come together this year and we're making a nice run. We're ranked No. 2 in the national right now and we're looking good to win it all."

The Spartans will begin its quest for the program's sixth national title at 1 p.m. Sunday against Coker College.

 

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