In high school, Shevis Shima dreamed of playing baseball for Cal State Fullerton.

Three schools and one surgery later, he will finally fulfill that dream.

Shima, a 2004 Baldwin graduate, signed with the Titans, who competed in this year's College World Series.

"Out of high school, I really wanted to go there, but I didn't get any letter or anything from them," said Shima, an all-Maui Interscholastic League player and Advertiser All-State second-team selection as a utility player. "In Hawai'i, you don't really get seen."

Shima said he's happy to follow in the footsteps of Baldwin grad Kurt Suzuki and Maui High alum Vance Otake.

"(Cal State Fullerton) always (has) a good chance to make the World Series, so I was pretty lucky to get this opportunity," said Shima, who remained on the Mainland taking summer school courses in English, communications (his major) and geography.

Shima, a second-team all-Orange Empire Conference selection as a shortstop for Saddleback College, batted .388 with six doubles and a triple this season. His 21 stolen bases in 23 attempts led the conference.

Shima tore a tendon in his elbow as a high school senior and had Tommy John surgery. Instead of playing for the University of San Diego, who recruited him, he went to San Diego City College for the fall semester of 2004, hoping to transfer to USD when his arm healed.

Instead, he returned to Maui and attended Maui Community College. He ended up at Saddleback, a two-year institution in Mission Viejo, Calif., which he found with the aid of his best friend, Kamehameha alum Kanekoa Texeira and Saddleback coach Jack Hodges, also a Kamehameha graduate.

"It is a better route to go anyways, because it's really competitive in the Orange Empire Conference," said Shima, who would suggest it for all Hawai'i players.

Saddleback might best be known in Hawai'i as the school where University of Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan played.

"Year in and year out, Saddleback's football team is really good," Shima said.

His roommate this year was the school's quarterback, Nick Nelson, who will play for the University of Colorado.

Shima will likely challenge sophomore Joe Scott, who was drafted by Milwaukee in the 39th round, at shortstop. Shima thinks his most valuable asset is "my legs. I can run. Everything else is mediocre, I'm not anything special."

GOLF

Two Hawai'i golfers earned West Coast Conference All-Academic honors for the spring semester.

San Francisco sophomore Kurt Nino (Damien '05) earned a 3.67 GPA in business finance and Gonzaga junior Sarah Sheffield (Kea'au '04) earned a 3.78 GPA in English.

COMMITMENTS

Recent Maryknoll graduate Nicole Fu signed with the women's basketball program at Concordia University in Irvine, Calif.

Fu was an Interscholastic League of Honolulu first-team all-star in 2006. This season's list has not been published.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.