Ever since the day he first started playing the game, Austin senior Dylan Gasner has always wanted play college baseball. Now that dream will be a reality for Gasner as he made his verbal commitment to play college baseball at NJCAA Division II Iowa Central under a full athletic scholarship Friday.

Gasner hit .464 for the Packer baseball team last spring and he was a key cog on the Austin Post 91 Legion baseball team that went to the state tournament this past summer. He’s glad to have his college decision out of the way before the school year begins.

“I’ve known for awhile that I was probably going to end up going at Iowa Central and there wasn’t really a reason for me to wait,” Gasner said. “Their facilities are very nice and I like the location. They are one of the top Junior Colleges in the Nation”

Iowa Central went 38-19 overall last season and Gasner is hoping he can break into their lineup as a freshman. His goal is to improve during his two years with the Triton so he can eventually play for a Division I baseball team.

“I just need to get stronger and clean up everything with my swing,” Gasner said. “I need to get a better feel for the faster pace of college baseball.”

During the season, it doesn’t matter if Gasner is playing in a doubleheader or his fifth game of the week — if he has any say in it he is catching. Although the position can be physically and mentally grinding, Gasner wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I just like being involved in every play and being the coach on the field. It’s a leadership role and you get to work with the pitchers,” Gasner said. “I just think it’s fun.”

Gasner’s older brother Nik Gasner will play at Iowa Lakes Community College this spring and the brothers could square off against each other in two years when Dylan is in college.