AS A REDSHIRT JUNIOR (2016)
Second Team All-South Region by both the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA)… First Team All-Sunshine State Conference… played and started in 48 games in 2016, all in right field… second on the team, 10th in the SSC, in batting with a .388 average (76-for-196)… stroked 23 doubles overall, best in the SSC and 12th among NCAA Division II leaders… his .48 doubles per game also led the SSC and was ninth among NCAA leaders… 33 of his 76 hits were for extra bases… tied for the team lead with 55 RBI, and tied for sixth in the SSC in that category… named SSC Baseball Player of the Week on March 21, after batting .625 (10-for-16) with a 1.250 slugging percentage in a three-game sweep of Rollins and a pair of non-conference victories… six of his 10 hits were for extra bases with four doubles and two home runs… also recorded 11 RBI, three walks, and three HBP… Mata repeated as SSC Baseball Player of the Week on April 4, after batting .833 (10-for-12) with four doubles and one HR as the Lions took two of three games off Embry-Riddle… he charted eight runs scored and two RBI over the three games… charted a season-best seven RBI versus Webber International (3/22) on a 4-for-4 hitting performance with two doubles, a triple, and a home run… had a season-best four hits in three difference games against Upper Iowa (3/6), Webber International (3/22), and Embry-Riddle (4/3-G2)… his .653 slugging percentage was 10th among SSC leaders… batted .347 versus SSC opponents… belted an 11th inning solo home run to give Saint Leo a 9-8 walk-off victory over Montevallo (1/29) in the 2016 season opener, after the Lions trailed 8-2 after four innings.
AS A SOPHOMORE (2015)
Played in all 49 games at second base... Finished season with .341 batting aveage with 44 runs scored (2nd on team) and 45 RBI (2nd on team) in 211 at-bats (2nd on team)... Blasted 15 doubles (led team), one triple, and four home runs... Best performance was a 5-for-6 effort including two doubles, two home runs, four RBI, and five runs scored... In the field had .948 fielding percentage with 26 double plays turned... SSC Player of the Week one time...
AS A RED-SHIRT FRESHMAN (2014)
Appeared in 44 games during his first active season with Saint Leo… Finished third on the team in at-bats with 175… Tallied 45 hits for a .314 batting average… Scored 33 runs and knocked in 29 RBI… Blasted 10 doubles and one triple... First homerun as a Lion came against top-ranked Nova Southeastern… Logged 70 total bases for a .324 on-base percentage… Slugged for .400... Walked four times and tied to lead the team with five sacrifice flyouts… Turned 18 double plays from his second-base position… Registered 75 putouts and 101 assists for a .940 fielding average.
AS A FRESHMAN (2013)
Redshirted. Did not compete.
CAREER
A 2012 graduate of Riverdale High School…The two-time team captain played for Coach Robert Pringle…Was named MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in his senior year after hitting .464 with 55 hits…In 2011, his junior year, Mata batted .406 with 45 hits…Was named team MVP and Offensive Player of the Year…Also played for the Prospect Wire Cannons for Coach Jeff Bender.
PERSONAL
Born on August 13, 1994 in Orlando, Fla…Majoring in sport business…Hobbies include basketball, baseball, going to the beach, and hanging out with friends…Career goal is to be successful…The best asset he brings to the team is his energy and never-give-up attitude…His favorite athlete is Jose Reyes…Lists his favorite team as the Atlanta Braves…Chose Saint Leo because he liked the coaching staff and because he fell in love with the campus…Son of Maria Garcia…Has one brother, Jose Mata, and one sister, Emily Garcia.
