Dickinson gets starting spot

Spencer Dickinson of the College of the Desert attempts to catch the ball, while an LA Valley runner dives to third base during their game in the Inland Empire Conference of the California Community College Athletic Association on Feb. 18, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Contributed Photo)

CNMI Little League product Spencer Dickinson has moved up to the collegiate ranks and managed to earn a starting spot in his rookie season.

Dickinson, who used to compete for McDonald’s, IT&E, and the Talaabwogh Falcons in the Saipan Little League Baseball, is now with the College of the Desert, playing third base and shorts stop for the Roadrunners in the California Community College Athletic Association.

The 19-year-old has played 23 matches for the College of the Desert in the Inland Empire Conference since January this year before the season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. In his 20-plus games for the Roadrunners, who are grouped with Antelope Valley, Barstow, Cerro Coso, Chaffey, Mt. San Jacinto, San Bernardino Valley, and Victor Valley, Dickinson posted a batting average of .244 after going 19-for-78. He also scored 13 RBIs, nine runs, and two doubles.

Spencer Dickinson, standing second left, poses with CNMI Junior All-Star Team players and coaches and the Australian Team after prevailing in their semis match in the 2015 Asia Pacific Regional Tournament held on Saipan. (Contributed Photo)

One of the highlights of the former CNMI Junior All-Star Team member’s rookie season was his home runs in back-to-back games. The first one was against Antelope Valley, as he blasted a three-run dinger to power the Roadrunners to a 12-8 victory in their Feb. 18 match. The following day, Dickinson started out for the College of the Desert anew and torqued up for a two-run homer in their 5-12 lost to Palomar.

Meanwhile, though his freshman season was cut short, Dickinson is thankful to have the opportunity to play in the collegiate level and make it to the starting unit of his team. He then credited his Saipan coaches, parents, and teammates for helping him develop his passion for baseball.

Spencer Dickinson gets ready at third base while playing for IT&E in the Major division of the 2014 Saipan Little League Baseball at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. (Contributed Photo)

“My love for the sport all started on Saipan. The skills I learned in Little League and the all-star teams gave me a great foundation. I give a lot of credit to my dad and my different coaches along with the support from my family and even my teammates who pushed me to do my best,” said Dickinson, who took the Finals MVP in the SLLB 2016 season after towing the Falcons to a 10-7 triumph over the Enforcers.

Dickinson added that by suiting up for the CNMI Major, Junior, and Senior League all-star teams, he was able to gain valuable experience challenging players from other countries and learned from them and their highly competitive matches.

“Those experiences also gave me the confidence to move to the states at the age of 16. I made the high school varsity team (Rancho Mirage High School) in my junior and senior year which prepared me for college baseball. We had intense practice daily and on some weekends. Then during the summer, I played on a traveling team which again included practice and competitions with other players my age or older,” said Dickinson.

Spencer Dickinson, seen here in a 2019 photo, pitched for the Rancho Mirage High School in California. (Contributed Photo)

Although their season is over, Dickinson won’t take a break from the sport, as he wants to play better in his second year with the Roadrunners.

“I need to keep improving my skills and that includes the techniques of baseball, weightlifting, running, and communication. It’s a lot of hard work but I am happy and blessed because not everyone gets the opportunity to play. All the sacrifice my family has made for me is what keeps me going and trying to stay on top of the game.”