STOCKTON, Calif. – As the Pacific baseball team prepares for its home-opening series this weekend at Klein Family Field, junior Jakob Guardado is ready to make some noise, both on the mound and at the plate.
 
A two-way player from Tustin, California, Guardado was originally born in Stockton and is fueled with energy ahead of the Tigers' season opener on Friday.
 
"I'm pretty excited to play here," Guardado said. "I know that the whole team is looking forward to it. We have been preparing for a long time and now it is just about going out there, playing and competing."
 
Guardado's passion for the game came from his father, Eddie, who played Major League Baseball for 17 seasons across four teams (Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds). Guardado remembers watching his father's games on television from a young age. The two have spent a lot of time together working on the fundamentals of the sport, going back to the age of three years old.


 
"As I was growing up, around that five to nine age, I remembered watching his games," Guardado said. "He was adamant that I do something that I love, and it just happened to be baseball. He coached me throughout little league, up to high school and even to this day. He helps me with whatever may be. Throwing me batting practice or helping me pitch."
 
After a couple of seasons at Pasadena City College, Guardado made the decision to join the Tigers this year, which was an easy choice for him and his family.
 
"Having a lot of family nearby was a big factor," Guardado said. "There is a lot of support here and that ultimately helped me choose to become a Tiger. It is a full circle feeling."
 
Guardado says his family from the Stockton area, including his father, will be in attendance for the opening weekend.
 
Pacific head coach Chris Rodriguez sees the talent of Guardado's two-way abilities and hopes he can provide a spark when called upon.
 
"Jakob has developed into a true two-way player," Rodriguez said. "He is a fierce competitor on the mound and in the box. On the mound, Jakob has shown his ability to compete in the strike zone with multiple pitches. We are looking for Jakob to be a weekend starter. At the plate, Jakob can hit the ball to all fields. He will bring a strong left-handed bat into the line-up with his strike awareness."

As the Tigers face off against UNLV this weekend, beginning with a 5 pm start time on Friday, Feb. 16, be on the lookout for Guardado to make an immediate impact.
 
For all the latest news on the Tigers, be sure to visit www.pacifictigers.com and follow us on X (@PacificTigers), Instagram (@PacificTigers) and like the department's official Facebook page (Pacific Athletics).
  
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