WINTER HAVEN – For former Polk State Baseball pitcher Skylar Gonzalez, there have been times throughout his college career where he wondered if he was good enough. During his 2024 senior season at the University of Tampa, there was nobody better.

A native of Fort Lauderdale, Gonzalez's laundry list of accomplishments for 2024 includes Sunshine State Conference Pitcher of the Year, South Region Pitcher of the Year, and National Pitcher of the Year across multiple publications. Gonzalez was also named to the All-Sunshine State Conference Defensive Team and a Rawlings Gold Glove winner.

"The mentality and experience I gained at Polk helped me at the University of Tampa," Gonzalez explained. "I had to flex my 'get your chin up' mentality. Because of my experience at Polk, it was easy to stay tough and stay focused."

Throughout his career, however, things haven't always been easy for Gonzalez. The crafty right-hander began his collegiate career at the University of West Virginia, where he spent two seasons. Although he posted a solid 3.71 ERA in 25 games, Gonzalez was urged to look for a new home prior to his redshirt sophomore season of 2022. Wondering if his baseball career was over, Gonzalez transitioned to the junior college ranks at Polk State.

"I could tell early on that Skylar had a very advanced feel of pitching with the ability to mix pitches and move his fastball around really well," Polk State Head Coach Al Corbeil said. "Once he became comfortable, he really blossomed and anchored our pitching staff here. He approached pitching like an artist painting a canvas. He matured and really learned how to use his arsenal."

The FCSAA leader in ERA for most of the year, Gonzalez finished his season at Polk State with a 5-2 record and 2.47 ERA, earning first-team All-Suncoast Conference honors.

"(Tampa Head Coach Joe) Urso and Corbeil have a similar attitude toward baseball," Gonzalez said. "You're not winning by talent alone. You're winning by how far you're willing to go – for yourself, for your teammates, for your coaches."

Initially committed to the University of South Florida, Gonzalez ultimately opted for another Tampa school – the University of Tampa. An eight-time NCAA Division II national champion, the Spartans were coming off consecutive Sunshine State Conference titles.

"When you arrive (at Tampa), the first thing that is talked about is how storied the program is," Gonzalez noted. "Being part of this program means being able to gel and putting your egos aside. Keeping that in mind allowed me to keep the bar high and motivated me."

Over his two years at Tampa, Gonzalez never suffered a loss, but his junior season of 2023 didn't feature his best work. Despite a 4-0 record as a junior in 2023, Gonzalez posted the highest ERA and walk ratio of his college career.

"Your results aren't always indicative of what you can do," Gonzalez added. "You sometimes have to remind yourself that you are good enough and to remember why you are where you are already."

That mindset led Gonzalez to have a senior season for the ages as the Spartans went 52-8 en route to the program's ninth national championship. Gonzalez went a perfect 16-0 with a 2.46 ERA in 102.1 innings while setting the program's single season record for wins.

"To see him excel at the University of Tampa, winning a national championship, and setting the school record for wins is an incredible accomplishment," Corbeil added. "It's a testament to his talent."

Gonzalez tied the record in a 15-1 win over Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on May 25 as Tampa kept its season alive in the second game of the NCAA Super Regional. Gonzalez broke the record 12 days later at the NCAA Championships in Cary, N.C. during a 7-4 win over Southern New Hampshire University.

"It's surreal," Gonzalez explained. "The history means a lot to Coach Urso. You have a lot of support here. When I broke the record, alumni texted me and made me feel like I was part of a big family. Going back to my time at Polk, Coach Corbeil prepared me for the big challenging moments. That mentality made this an easy transition."

Two years removed from Polk State, Gonzalez remains in close contact with many of his former Eagle teammates. Ray Mercer, the single season record holder for triples at Polk State, spent this past season as his teammate for Tampa. Gonzalez shares a conference with many of his former Polk State teammates, including Rohsean Riley, Jack Duffy, and Nick Collins, who all play at Florida Southern College. The former group of teammates stay in touch through a group text.

"There's definitely still a bond there," Gonzalez concluded. "Corbeil worked us hard. We had to stick with each other."