Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Arcata and Humboldt Eagles pitcher Merek Sears will play college ball at Washington State.

By Ray Hamill — The H-DNL is turning some heads in the Pac-12.

On Wednesday, Arcata High and Humboldt Eagles pitcher Merek Sears verbally committed to play for Washington State after graduation in 2020.

Sears, who was Humboldt Sports’ Pitcher of the Year this past spring, becomes the second H-DNL and Eagles pitcher to commit to a Pac-12 school in just two weeks.

St. Bernard’s sophomore Nick Dugan also has verbally committed to take his talents to Stanford after a huge summer playing for the Eagles 19U team.

The opportunity is nothing more than Sears deserves, according to Eagles head coach Matt Tomlin.

“He’s worked really hard to improve to the level where he can be a Pac-12 pitcher,” Tomlin said. 

Sears, a senior lefty, also has shown the ability to step up for the big occasion, pitching a gem against arch rival McKinleyville in the North Coast Section Division-IV championship game earlier this year.

He followed that with a standout summer playing for the Eagles 19U team, which made it to the final four in state play.

“Merek was outstanding for us this summer and obviously he comes out of a great program at Arcata High,” Tomlin said.

According to the Eagles head coach, Sears has benefitted from working closely with some top coaches on the North Coast, including Eagles assistants Jim Pastori and Craig Apo.

“Those two guys did a tremendous job working with Merek,” Tomlin said. “And Troy Ghisetti has done a great job working with him at Arcata High.”