Freshman third baseman Nick Dingman of the Moorpark College Raiders has been named to the AllWestern State Conference North Division baseball first team.

Dingman, who played third base at Moorpark High, is the only member of his college team to be named to the first team.

Two fellow Raiders were named to the second team: sophomore infielder David Adler (Westlake) and freshman catcher Cody Holland (Moorpark).

Receiving honorable mention were freshman infielder Evan Johnson (Highland of Palmdale) and sophomore pitcher Mike Roe (Simi Valley).

"I knew out of high school I had a choice to make," said Dingman, who weighed enrolling at California Lutheran University and playing NCAA Division III baseball against beginning at a community college and seeing if he could transfer as a junior to an NCAA Division I university program.

"It took me a long time to realize what I wanted to do and I just was patient with the decision," he said. "It came down to choosing Moorpark College. Over the summer, I just worked harder and harder just to try and get where I was this year. It turned out to be the right choice."

This season, Dingman hit .344, the 16th-highest average in the WSC, with one home run and 17 RBIs. He also had 13 doubles in 160 at-bats.

This summer he'll be playing on an Orange County all-wood bat collegiate league team then return to Moorpark College for his sophomore year.

The son of Mike Dingman and Sheila Shrupp and stepson of Dianna Dingman, he said his parents watch him play as frequently as they can.

"They're the biggest supporters," Dingman said. "They've been there since day one, and I played Tball. They're looking forward to next year just as much as I am."

He said that college baseball is a step up from high school because the game is faster. Also, it's necessary to be more patient as a college player.

"Every pitcher at the junior college level can throw every one of his pitches for a strike," Dingman said. "There was no getting behind in the count 2-0 and be looking for that fastball.

"In high school it would be right down the middle. Now (in college) you'd see 2-0 curve balls and 2-0 sliders. Every pitch was thrown as a strike and located. Not many pitchers made mistakes," he said.

Part of learning how to play college baseball came from the Raider coaching staff, and he's especially appreciative of their commitment to his growth.

"I love the coaches," Dingman said. "I became a different hitter this year-hitting a lot more doubles in the gap. It was more for an average. I hit third for them all year. That was it. I didn't move (in the lineup). I was put in third the first game. I stayed there until the last game."

Moorpark College's head baseball coach, Mario Porto, said he had no reservations about starting Dingman at third base or batting him third.

"He made the adjustments to succeed and have a good year," the coach said. "He's a third baseman. He couldn't say, 'I just think I can plant myself and let balls come to me.' He made himself a pretty good athlete. He worked hard at it."

For Dingman, the transition from high school to college baseball was a challenge.

"It was difficult," he said. "You come in as a freshman and you're put in that spot and asked to produce. I just worked my hardest and tried to do what I could for the team. I have never had a ball hit harder than I did this year at me, ever. You hear it hit and then all of a sudden it's on top of you."

Porto said the biggest plus Dingman offers is the constant improvement of his game.

"We ask guys to come out and work every day," the coach said. "He has a good work ethic. A lot of kids come out and think it's just a junior college. It's college baseball. Nick came in with a good understanding of what he had to do to have a good year."