Right-handed pitcher Justin Dunham had quite a season for the Irvine Valley baseball season in 2019.
And he was continuing it at NCAA Division II Dixie State in St. George, Utah at the start of the 2020 season before the year was called to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dixie State had a record of 15-3 overall and had started 4-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
The 6-3 Dunham was named second team all-Orange Empire Conference after going 5-5 with a 2.08 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 73.2 innings for the Lasers during the 2019 season. He walked just nine batters all season.
Dunham made 12 appearances and started eight games. He also had three complete games and two shutouts. Opponents hit just .217 against him on the season.
By the way, he pitched the first no-hitter in IVC program history.
That performance came on Feb. 18, blanking Mt. San Jacinto at home, 7-0.
"Justin has put in so much work since he got here," Irvine Valley coach Kent Madole said at the time. "I am so proud of him and happy for our guys. This was a pretty fun day."
Dunham walked one and hit two batters. Mt. San Jacinto also had a batter reach base on an error in the top of the ninth inning.
But Dunham struck out seven and was in control from start to finish with help from sophomore catcher Ryan Santa Cruz (signed with Western Oregon) and a solid defense behind him.
Irvine Valley finished with a 20-19-1 record and just missed making the postseason in 2019.
In his two-year career at Irvine Valley, Dunham made 21 appearances. He was a reliever during his freshman year in 2018 for IVC.
Dunham, who pitched at San Juan High before arriving at IVC.
At Dixie State, Dunham was on a roll. The junior started the first game of the season for Dixie State and earned his first win in his second start. Dixie State defeated Northwest Nazarene on Feb. 7. He went 5.1 innings, allowing just one run and had seven strikeouts.
On the year, Dunham made five starts and hadn't given up more than one earned run in any outing. He was 2-0 overall, having pitched 23.2 innings with 19 strikeouts and a 1.52 ERA. Opponents were hitting just .221 against him.