East Central all-state lefty ready to take next step
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Matthew Luna delivers a pitch in the first inning for the Hornets as Canyon hosts East Central in boys baseball last March.
Matthew Luna delivers a pitch in the first inning for the Hornets as Canyon hosts East Central in boys baseball last March.
Photo: Tom Reel /Staff Photographer
Matthew Luna delivers a pitch in the first inning for the Hornets as Canyon hosts East Central in boys baseball last March.
Matthew Luna delivers a pitch in the first inning for the Hornets as Canyon hosts East Central in boys baseball last March.
Photo: Tom Reel /Staff Photographer
When you scroll through East Central senior pitcher Matthew Luna’s Twitter account, you notice that he celebrates others’ college signings as enthusiastically as his own.
It’s also striking how many of the left-handed pitcher’s circle of friends are college-bound. Luna himself signed a national letter of intent to attend Texas Tech University on Nov. 13.
“I love seeing my friends and former teammates signing,” Luna said. “Whenever I see an offer or verbal commitment, I go crazy about it. Especially knowing how hard they’ve been training and how much they deserve it.”
Texas Tech reached the College World Series each of the last two seasons and was ranked No. 2 nationally in three polls March 13, when the season was canceled.
Luna committed to the Red Raiders when coach Tim Tadlock offered a scholarship on May 16, 2019, before visiting the campus.
“I didn’t need to see Texas Tech to know it was where I wanted to be,” Luna said. “Everybody in baseball knows who Texas Tech is. I’m excited to be a part of a tradition and a highly regarded program like that.”
The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder and junior Damian Gonzales, his catcher and best friend, represented East Central on both the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association and Texas Sports Writers Association Class 6A all-state teams last year.
Luna was a THSBCA first-team selection and Gonzales, who is recovering from an arm injury, was chosen for the third team. The pitcher was a TSWA third-team choice.
First-year East Central coach Eric Vasquez anticipates that Luna could be a Texas Tech starter in 2021.
“I think he can slide in there right now,” Vasquez said, “and compete at the college level.”
Luna said his fastball was clocked at 94 mph last summer at a tournament in New Mexico. His curveball is thrown at around the 80-mph range.
“His command of the curve is incredible,” Vasquez said. “Anybody who goes up there prepared for a 92-93 mph fastball and then sees an offspeed pitch in the low 80s with movement on it, that’s tough. And he throws quite a few pitches.”
Luna has a 4-1 record this season with a 0.61 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 23 innings. His best outing his last before the season was suspended. Luna posted a two-hit shutout against traditional power Lake Travis on March 12 in the San Antonio Classic.
“My sophomore year, Lake Travis beat us in the second round of the playoffs,” he said. “So, I wanted to beat Lake Travis, and it was the best I’ve ever felt. My two-seam fastball, my knuckle-curve and my circle change all were working.
“My catcher (sophomore Maddox Miesse) helped me a lot.”
Vasquez agreed. The coach said he had been limiting Luna’s pitch count and trying to build his endurance before letting him loose against Lake Travis.
“They had a lot of Division I players,” Vasquez said. “Matt came in with the right mindset. He was going to win that game no matter what.”
Luna, who also plays first base, credited his previous Hornets coach J.K. Moody for his development from a hard thrower who struggled with accuracy.
“I owe everything to coach Moody and his staff,” Luna said. “I had no confidence as a freshman, and for the next three years, they completely changed me.”
