Baseball player Justin Zielinski headed to Missouri Baptist

Baseball player Justin Zielinski headed to Missouri Baptist

Pitcher Justin Zielinski, who turned in one of the best seasons in Irvine Valley baseball program history in 2015, has signed with NAIA Missouri Baptist.

The sophomore right-handed pitcher helped lead Irvine Valley to an appearance in the CCCAA Super Regionals this past season.

He earned several honors and set a number of IVC pitching records along the way.

Zielinski was named co-pitcher of the year for Irvine Valley along with freshman Ryan Abady. He was also picked first team all-Orange Empire Conference and was named to the 2015 All-Southern California Team.

Zielinski was one of four pitchers selected to the 16-man All-Southern California Team.

He finished with a record of 9-3 overall.

Zielinski set several program records during the 2015 campaign, including innings pitched with 118.1, ERA at 1.52, complete games with eight and shutouts with three.

And he tied for the most wins in a season with nine.

His best effort came in one of IVC's biggest and best games. Zielinski threw a complete-game shutout in Irvine Valley's 1-0 win at Oxnard in the regional playoffs. Oxnard was seeded second in the playoffs.

The win advanced IVC on to the Super Regionals.

Irvine Valley finished with a record of 23-18 overall for the year.

Zielinski, who came to Irvine Valley from Rancho Alamitos High, is headed to a Missouri Baptist team that went 43-13 overall last season, won the American Midwest Conference title, reached the playoffs and had three players taken in the Major League Baseball Draft.