Dillon Persinger at bat (Western Sun/Austin Swartz photo).

By Nathan Sanchez/Western Sun staff writer

An impressive performance during the 2015 season turned heads in Dillon Persinger’s direction.  The Cal State Fullerton commit has put everything he has into the game of baseball, and it seems to be paying off.

The Fountain Valley native won’t let himself focus on the future though, he has state championship aspiration in the present.

Dillon Persinger (Sun photo).

The slugger batted an impressive .367 with 19 RBI and just one home run during The Rustlers’ Orange Empire Conference championship campaign a season ago.

However, Persinger won’t let his success slow his progression, saying, “like I’ve told my teammates all offseason, last year’s success does not guarantee anything for this season.”

His hot start this season has caused a buzz in the Rustler dugout, with five home runs through the first nine games of conference play.

During the series against the Fullerton Hornets Dillon hit a no-doubter grand slam to tie the game, and then continued his hot streak with two home runs in his next two at bats.  “He hits the ball hard in every at bat,” stated coach Roberto Villareal.

When asked about the Rustlers’ 4-5 record Pers said, “Absolutely, we will bounce back.  It’s baseball, you fail 70 percent of the time and you are still an all-star.  It is a long 21-game ride to the top of the hill.”  Dillon is leading his team to the top of that hill with a .489 batting average, .830 slugging percentage and 11 doubles.

As a second basemen himself, Dillon looks up to Jose Altuve for his resiliency and perseverance.  “He plays with his head down, and keeps to the grind.  You can’t help but push for people like that.”  Altuve is considered to be one of the brightest young stars in the bigs and Persinger looks to emulate his scrappy style of play day in and day out.

He also looks up to the notorious UFC fighter Connor McGregor, who came up from Ireland’s welfare system to become one of the most skilled fighters in the octagon.

“He is my role model and his work ethic and sacrifice speak to me more and more as the days go on.”