College of Southern Nevada baseball team qualifies for JUCO World Series

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The College of Southern Nevada Coyotes are back in the JUCO World Series for the first time since 2017.

A huge portion of this team includes born-and-raised Las Vegans, some even having ties to the 2003 championship team, and players say the best part about it is representing their hometown.

CSN is no stranger to success. The team won the national championship back in 2003 and has produced a laundry list of Major League Baseball players.

Nick Garritano has been the team’s head coach for 14 years and has seen it all, from past trips to the World Series to watching 22 of his players get drafted and make it to the big leagues.

He says what makes this group of players special isn’t just their talent. It’s also their bond with each other.

“They’re a family,” Garritano said. “They really pull on the same end of the rope. They play for each other. We have a phrase here called “For the Front”. There’s no selfish guy here, whether it’s our leading hitter, whether it’s our 16th guy on the bench, whether it’s our number one arm or 15th guy on the bullpen.”

The players say they have their own memories of CSN’s winning history.

Coach Garritano’s son Nicky says he fondly remembers watching his dad coach the 2017 team that also made the World Series.

Infielder Mikey Cruz’s dad was a member of the ’03 championship team.

Both say now, it’s their turn to make history for Southern Nevada.

“It’s awesome to follow in my dad’s footsteps and do exactly what he did,” Cruz said. “Hopefully, we can accomplish what that team in 2003 accomplished.”

“Seven years ago, when they went, I was just a kid in the stands watching,” Garritano said. “To be able to share the field with him, at this level, is awesome and to go to Grand Junction with him is even better.”

​The team will be traveling to Grand Junction, Colorado this week, with their game against Northwest Florida State College set for this Saturday.