Chico State baseball alumni Kristian Scott is one of the few collegiate athletes talented enough to continue playing professionally, having recently began his post-collegiate career as a relief pitcher for the Gary Southshore RailCats of the Independent American Association. That talent did not keep him from listening to the coaches and mentors, though. They reminded him that someday his playing career would be through and he needed to be prepared with options.
As a result, Scott strove to succeed academically as well as athletically. And he made sure to take advantage of many different opportunities he had as a Chico State student-athlete. Having achieved it all, Scott was recently one of Chico State's two recipients of the California Collegiate Athletic Association's (CCAA) Dr. Hal Charnofsky Memorial Award. Clare Brady of the women's golf program is the other.
The Charnofsky Award recognizes student-athletes who have distinguished themselves in the classroom and in their sport. The award is named after the late Dr. Hal Charnofsky, a long-time faculty athletics representative from Cal State Dominguez Hills.
"I tried to make sure I was involved in a lot of things," Scott said. "I like to stay as well-rounded as possible and get experience in multiple areas of life. That was possible due to the environment in Chico. There are so many people on your side. Everybody I've encountered at Chico has always been on my side."
Scott graduated from Chico State in May of 2020 with his degree in small business management and option in entrepreneurship. He started the Master's program in business administration in the fall.
Scott came to the Chico State baseball program with options. He was an outfielder, but also featured a very strong arm. At the end of his junior season, after hitting just .244 in 41 at-bats, Head Coach Dave Taylor told Scott that he believed his future was on the mound.
"I came to Chico as someone who could throw the ball hard. I never considered myself a pitcher. I kind of just pitched at my JC because we needed guys," Scott said. "When Coach T asked me to throw a bullpen I was kind of excited because it's fun. But I didn't think it would take off to where it's at now."
By 2020, after spending a summer of baseball in that role, Scott was Chico State's stopper. He saved five games, allowing just one run on seven hits in 11-plus frames, before the season was shut down due to the pandemic.
Scott led the CCAA in saves in the COVID-shortened 2019 and was named a postseason All-Star.
Scott was also involved in Chico State's "Scratch the Stigma" and "I Value" campaigns.
Still, he might be best known for being the caretaker of Sylvia the turtle, a Red-Eared Slider given to him by his ex-girlfriend.
Readers of a February piece about Scott (and Sylvia) will be thrilled to know that she is flourishing. Currently living with Scott's parents, Samuel and Elena, Sylvia has grown about an inch in length and half-inch in diameter since early February. She's now in a bigger tank and there's even talk of an outdoor pond in the back yard.
"I would have loved to bring her with me, but I'm just not home enough," Scott explained. "She's getting great care from her grandparents."
Scott is spending much of his time at the baseball field these days.
"We leave the field around 11 or midnight, and then the next day, depending on the game time, we go back any time between 11 and 1," Scott said. "It's definitely interesting going from being a college athlete where they actually have restrictions about the amount of time you can spend practicing, to professional sports, where it's our job every day."
The hitters Scott is facing are also different.
"When a batter walks up, I'm not seeing a kid anymore. I'm seeing grown men," Scott said. "In college I could instill a fear in people. But now everybody is trying to feed their family. It's definitely made me more of a competitor. There are no more easy outs."
Chico State recipients of the Dr. Hal Charnofsky Memorial Award
2021: Clare Brady (women's golf) & Kristian Scott (baseball)
2020: Chris Jaeger (men's track & field) & Maddy Wong (women's basketball)
2019: McKena Barker (women's basketball) & Eddie King (men's cross country and track & field)
2018: Whitney Branham (women's basketball) & Cameron Santos (baseball)
2017: Josh Falco (baseball) & Sherise Porchia (women's basketball)
2016: Clayton Gelfand (baseball) & Cassandra Scroggins (women's soccer)
2015: Zachary Sardina (men's golf) & Olivia Watt (women's track & field)
2014: Luis Martinez (men's soccer) & Sara Mikesell (women's cross country)
2013: Pierson Jeremiah (baseball) & Jessica Leek (volleyball)
2012: Alia Gray (women's cross country and track & field) & Jacob Lovisolo (men's basketball)
2011: Manuel Mejia (men's cross country and track & field) & Sable Villaescusa (volleyball)
2010: Melissa Richardson (women's basketball) & Kevin Seaver (baseball)
2009: Nicole Barbour (women's track & field) & Andrew Bocian (men's basketball)
2008: Erica Brick (volleyball) & Patrick Domek (men's track & field)
2006: Ciara Harvey (women's cross country and track & field) & Tim Tollefson (men's cross country and track & field)
2005: Maija Pantajja (women's basketball) & Steven Springhorn (men's cross country and track & field)
2004: Kristi Cangiamilla (women's cross country and track & field)
