Perseverance Defines Sophomore Duo’s Time at SMCC

South Mountain Community College baseball sophomores Justin Quinn and Trey Goodrich have worked hard to overcome the obstacles and predicaments created by the coronavirus and grown into outstanding student-athletes with bright futures both on and off the diamond. Through perseverance and hard work, both have developed into integral members of the program who will have opportunities at four-year institutions when their time at SMCC ends.

Quinn started playing organized ball around the age of five. His father pushed him to play as many sports as possible, and he also dabbled in soccer, wrestling and football. Still, he found his way back to the diamond. 

When his career at Basha High School came to an end, he didn't have any offers to continue his baseball career. That is until the SMCC coaches came calling, and he quickly found a home.  

"I love the coaches at SMCC. They are some of the best I have ever had," said Quinn. "They have made me a better person and a player, and I have grown mentally and physically. The program is full of grinders, and the coaches push the development side of the baseball. I have learned so much from them coming from high school."

Goodrich started playing hardball around four and had an older brother and dad to help steer him towards the game. A relief pitcher at SMCC, Goodrich pitched in little league but stopped taking the hill by the time he hit junior high. It was not until his junior year of high school that he thought about taking it up again, and now he features a four-seam fastball, slider and splitter.

"My slider is usually my best pitch, but I have developed more confidence in my fastball," Goodrich said. "The main thing I have learned from the coaches is to compete. Even if you're not feeling great or are mentally off, it comes down to just you against the guy in the box, and you have to win that battle."

One of the first puzzles that coronavirus presented was how to stay active while doing baseball activities.

In some ways, Quinn was fortunate. He has had a gym in his garage since high school. That has allowed him to maintain a weightlifting regiment. Hitting off live pitching is a different matter, which ties back into the fact that the team has still not started organized practice.

"I haven't had a lot of looks, but I have been able to get to some indoor facilities to hit off machines with some teammates," he added. "It hasn't been too bad, and we have been able to hit with a few of the coaches."

Goodrich bounced around as plans and accommodations changed. 

"At the beginning, I worked out at my old high school, but we got kicked out of there. I then went to a friend's garage for a month, and since May, I've been working out at a performance center with several teammates," he said. 

Another wrench they had to solve was continuing their education in a virtual-only environment. Goodrich and Quinn excelled and have set themselves up for a prosperous future whenever their baseball careers end.

Quinn received his Associates in Arts Degree in Exercise Science and Wellness. The coursework included an internship working with assistant coach Tyler Gillum, who is also SMCC's Program Director for Health and Wellness. He and teammates Shawn Triplett and J.D. Wadleigh created content for the SMCC strength and wellness Instagram account (@SM_Strength_Performance).

"We created about 800 videos, and it was amazing to see how many variations of exercises and lifts exist," he said.

Goodrich is finishing up his AA in graphic design. He has worked with a company in California that has developed motion graphics for sports teams. Last year, he earned NJCAA First Team All-Academic Student-Athlete honors. As a team, the baseball squad earned NJCAA Academic Team of the Year honors after finishing eighth in the nation with a conference-best team GPA of 3.49.

Their head coach, Todd Eastin, has watched both young men grow and develop during their time in the program.

"Justin has developed as an athlete and as a person. He came to SMCC as a good athlete and dedicated himself to becoming a good hitter and outfield defender. He went from being a potential role player to a middle-of-the-order bat within his first month of competition in the Spring of 2019. He has developed into one of the leaders of our program through his maturity and work ethic."

"Trey has developed in all aspects as a pitcher. For the past two years, we have utilized Trey's discipline and routine to model behavior for incoming pitchers," Eastin said. "He has made significant progress in developing his body and looks like a different student-athlete than the one that showed up two years ago. His fastball velocity has jumped 6-7 mph over the past two years due to his work ethic."

Now that the professional teams, and some collegiate leagues, have shown that competition can commence, the duo is eager to get back on the diamond. The Cougars finished 20-8 in 2020, posted a 12-game winning streak and closed the year winning 17 of their final 19 games.

In 2020, Quinn led the Cougars with 24 RBIs and added 24 runs scored, five doubles, a triple and a home run for the year. He had a season-high three RBIs in two different games and two doubles in a win over Phoenix College on Feb. 7 at Sloan Park. As a freshman, he batted .298 with 23 runs, eight doubles, four triples, three home runs, 32 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

"We started slowly in 2020, but we hit our streak, and it was fun to come together get that win streak," Quinn said. "Coach Dan Padilla has worked with me on hitting for several years and has always been there to help in the cages."

"Justin will hit in the middle of the line-up with the expectation of being a run-producer," Eastin said. "I have loved the opportunity to have Justin in our program. He brings a football mentality to the program. Any of our coaches over the past 20 years will tell you that I favor former high school football athletes."

Goodrich appeared in six games in 2020, finishing 1-0 with four strikeouts. He earned a win in the season-opening series against Salt Lake City CC by recording the final two outs in a win on Jan. 31. As a freshman, he recorded three saves, including two in ACCAC action, 17 K's and a 3.97 ERA.

"As a team, I'd like to pick up where we left off in 2020. That means continuing to win and compete against the best in the conference. I want to be more consistent and have a big impact on the team's success," Goodrich added.

"Trey will throw often in high-leverage situations out of the bullpen for the Cougars," Eastin said. "He is extremely self-motivated, another example of a high school athlete that did not have NCAA Division I options in high school, but will have several opportunities to choose from this year,"

Having overcome the numerous obstacles thrown their way, Quinn and Goodrich are eager to come together with their teammates and coaches to resume playing the game they love. Both aspire to continue their collegiate careers at an NCAA Division I institution. Whatever the case, their time at SMCC has prepared them for whatever the future may hold.

"My favorite part of playing baseball at SMCC is the environment the coaches have created," Goodrich said. "I like how all the guys are grinders, and everyone is working hard to get to that next level and push each other."