Doing The Impossible: The Chase Mora Story ⁰

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

SAN MARCOS, Tex. — Chase Mora of Texas St. has accomplished the impossible.

The freshman 2B/RHP, who didn’t even participate in practices or scrimmages last fall because he was still rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery the previous June, belted home runs in his first three at-bats this season.

It was the first time in NCAA history such a feat has ever been accomplished by a freshman.

Not bad for a guy who is only 154 pounds and 6 feet tall but possesses a lightning-quick bat.

The first at-bat of his collegiate career took place in the seventh inning of Texas State’s second game of the season against Northwestern on Feb. 18.

Mora came to the plate in a pinch hitter role and blasted a 3-run home run over the left centerfield wall.

The next day, he was once again inserted as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and hit a solo home run to left centerfield against Northwestern.

In the eighth inning, now as the designated hitter, he hit a grand slam over the left centerfield wall.

In his first three at-bats of his freshman season, Mora belted 3 consecutive home runs with 8 RBI. He was then named a Collegiate Baseball National Player of The Week.

He cooled off a bit as he went 1-for-11 over his next five games with no extra base hits. Six games and 19 days after his incredible start, Mora went off on March 11 with another game for the ages.

Against North Dakota State, he belted 4 home runs during a 4-for-5 effort as he produced 9 RBI and scored 4 runs.

Once again, he was one of Collegiate Baseball’s National Players of The Week.

In the history of NCAA Div. I baseball, only two players have hit more than 4 home runs in a game.

Henry Rochelle of Campbell hit 5 during the 1985 season while Marshall McDougall of Florida St. hit 6 consecutive home runs against Maryland during the 1999 season.

Due to Tommy John surgery last June, the earliest he was cleared to throw in a game was against Grand Canyon on March 5 as a second baseman.

Since then, he has started eight of nine games.

After 13 games, Mora is hitting .368 with 8 homers, 2 doubles and 24 RBI. He hasn’t made an error at second base in 26 chances.

“Coming into Texas State last fall, I couldn’t practice with the team because I was still rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery on my right elbow the previous June after my senior year at Tomball High School (Tomball, Tex.).

“All fall, I wasn’t allowed to do anything at Texas State as I continued with my rehabilitation. The Monday before we got out for Thanksgiving, I was allowed to do a little hitting. So I hit for two weeks. Then I was allowed to start a throwing rehabilitation program. I made it clear that I wanted to get back to being a full-time position player at second base. I would worry about pitching after the 2023 season.”

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