LA MIRADA, Calif. --- At times, catcher can be a thankless position. Often it takes eyes that watch an entire season to appreciate how good a catcher is, because a single game's line score or a tough day behind the plate with wild pitchers may say otherwise. This summer in the California Collegiate League, which is one of the top summer baseball leagues on the West Coast, everyone who watched Sam Thorne play this position for the So Cal Catch was convinced that he was one of the best "gamers" in the league.

In a league where Thorne faced NCAA division I caliber competition night in and night out, the Biola catcher left no questions that he belonged with some of the best baseball talent in the country. Though his impact is not immediately apparent from his surface statistics from this summer, Thorne was praised by coaches and fans on both sides of the diamond for doing the little things that show dedication as a baseball player. Pitchers for the Catch praised Thorne for the way he called their games from behind the plate so they would not only get the out at hand, but set themselves up with an advantage for the second and third time through the batting order. Thorne had one of the best batter's eyes on his team, working deep into counts in pressure situations when he needed to do so to help his team win. It was customary to see Thorne in seven and eight pitch at-bats in all 32 games he played for the Catch, and he was rewarded with 15 walks, just one behind the team lead for that category. Thorne was also hit by 10 pitches this summer, giving him 17 total hit-by-pitches between the spring and summer seasons.

It may have taken a seasoned baseball spectator to notice some of Thorne's strength's this summer, but many couldn't help but notice how good the catcher was at throwing out would-be base stealers. Thorne shut down the opposing team's running game with his patented cannon from his knees, nabbing 13 of the 19 runners who tried to steal a base when he was behind the plate. By comparison, the team with the best record in the CCL, the Santa Barbara Foresters, caught 13 men stealing in 29 attempts with catchers who all came from NCAA Division I schools.

There were also games where it seemed Thorne could do no wrong at the plate. Thorne's best game came in a Catch home game on June 9. The catcher had RBI singles in three consecutive innings and finished the night 4-for-5 in a 11-2 victory over the Santa Paula Halos
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"In games like that one, I tried to do the same thing I always do," said Thorne. "All I can do is prepare for my at-bats the best I can and hope the results come. And I think that was a general theme for my summer. I was a part of a team that worked really hard to play the best baseball we could and we all grew spiritually and on the diamond. As happy as I am with how my summer turned out, I think one of the best highlights was the time I got to spend with the small group I had for the team bible studies. Those guys helped me to grow a lot spiritually and as a leader this summer, and I can't wait to bring what I learned on and off the diamond back to Biola."

For all on Sam Thorne's stats and more information on the Catch, visit socalcatch.com.