By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

The Jackson State Community College baseball team will have a Kissimmee influence this fall.

And it will have at least two Riveras, as the unrelated Juan and Manny Rivera, Gateway High teammates, have signed with the school in Jackson, Tenn.

The Generals will be getting the top bat and top arm from the Panthers’ lineup this season, which won the Orange Belt Conference baseball title for the first time in seven years.

Juan Rivera spent the year as the Panthers’ catcher and posted a stellar offensive season. He hit .466 with 13 doubles, 23 runs and 33 RBI in just 27 games. He tied the team lead in stolen bases with seven and was never caught.

He said he’s going to Tennessee as an infielder — he was penciled in as Gateway’s second baseman this season before moving behind the plate to fill a team need.

“I’ll be working over the summer on my defensive skills and getting my speed and feet back,” he said. “I’ve got to get these knees working again after a couple months of crouching.”

He said some other schools were interested, but not interested enough to offer their scholarship money.

“I wanted to stay in Florida, but Coach Hammond gave the school a strong recommendation, so I feel comfortable. And it offers a chance to get playing time right away.”

Hammond said Juan Rivera’s work ethic will serve him well in Tennessee.

“Nobody works as hard as he does. He played with a travel team out of Tampa and that cost him some money, but that showed his level of commitment,” he said.

Manny Rivera was Hammond’s No. 1 arm on the mound the last two seasons. As a senior he posted a 7-1 record with an 2.17 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 58 innings.

He features a four-pitch repertoire — fastball, curveball, changeup and a split-finger fastball that can look like a sinker or a forkball depending on the delivery.

“That pitch helped me get big outs against good teams, like Eustis and Olympia,” he said.

Like his current and future teammate, Manny Rivera said that freshman playing time helped steer him toward Tennessee.

“I know that there’s my share of innings up there next year,” he said.

Hammond said that the pitcher will have a learning curve in getting collegiate players out, but it won’t be a steep one.

“Manny throws four good pitches, and he throws strikes,” Hammond said. “He knows when to pitch to contact and knows his stuff.”

Hammond said that the Riveras will be tested at Jackson, which plays in the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association.

“It’s a good conference, good baseball,” he said.

Steve Cornelison is the Generals’ baseball coach and JSCC’s athletic director. Tyson Malik, a former assistant coach at St. Cloud under Hammond, is a JSCC assistant.