Two key members of the Fullerton College Hornets baseball team have signed letters of intent to play for Cal State San Bernardino in 2009-10. 

    Third-baseman Raul Meraz and second-baseman Erik Ornelas, both sophomores and both all-Orange Empire Conference second-team selections, figure to vie for starting positions right away as juniors at CSUSB. 

    Meraz, a graduate of Katella High School in Anaheim, is a 5-11, 170-pounder who held down the hot corner for the Hornets, batting .329 with four home runs and a team-leading 33 runs batted in. He walked just 19 times in 146 at bats and his on-base percentage was .420. He had 48 hits in 146 at bats with seven doubles and two triples. 

    Ornelas, an Anaheim HS graduate, is a 5-8, 150-pound middle infielder who batted .285 with a team-high 49 hits in 172 at bats with two home runs, six doubles, one triple, 31 runs scored and 19 RBI. He walked just 16 times. He recorded 94 putouts and 134 assists in the field. 

    “We are glad to have both of them,” said Coyotes Head Coach Don Parnell. “Meraz will battle for the third base job and Ornelas brings the flexibility of playing both middle infield positions.” 

    CSUSB is looking to fill the third base job now that all-CCAA second-team selection Jesus Beltran has completed his eligibility. Ornelas will vie with senior Brent Planck for the second base job and can back up returning shortstop Kyle Davis, Parnell said. 

    “They (Meraz and Ornelas) come from the toughest JC conference in the nation and have had success there so they should be able to compete and play pivotal roles for us in the CCAA,” Parnell said.