Sharts Opts to Leave Miami After One Season

Scott Sharts, the Southern Section career home run leader who recently completed his freshman season at the University of Miami (Fla.), said Wednesday that he will transfer to a university in the West to continue his college baseball career.

Sharts, who hit 32 home runs in a three-year varsity career at Simi Valley High, cited financial hardship and limited playing time at Miami as factors that led to his decision.

Sharts said that his scholarship last season paid for about $12,000 of the $15,500 tuition at Miami and his parents picked up the rest. Next year, according to Sharts, tuition will be raised to about $19,000, creating a burden for his family.

“The release is for financial hardship,” Sharts said. “I was on good terms with the people at Miami. I was told there would be no problem getting a release as long as I didn’t go to a Florida school.”

Last season, in 36 at-bats, Sharts batted .222 with no home runs and three runs batted in for the Hurricanes, who finished tied for fifth at the College World Series in Omaha. Sharts also allowed eight runs in 18 1/3 innings as a pitcher and compiled a 1-0 record.

Frustrated over his lack of playing time, Sharts said last week during the World Series that he was looking forward to having a great summer so that he could return to Miami and show the Hurricane coaching staff exactly what he was capable of producing.

“I’m going to come back in good shape and prove to people I can do it,” Sharts said June 7.

Apparently, however, Sharts had a change of heart.

“I was deciding on what I was going to do at the Series,” Sharts said Wednesday. “But I didn’t want to make it apparent. I didn’t want to do anything until I got back and discussed it with my parents.”

Sharts said that he wants to attend a local university where coaches are more familiar with his background and where he will be used primarily as a batter. He listed Pepperdine, USC, UCLA and Cal State Northridge among his top choices.

“I want to play with a program around here,” said Sharts, who leaves Monday for Wichita, Kan., where he will play in the Jayhawk Summer League. “I feel people know more about me. I’ll go anywhere that I am going to be able to play.

“I plan to contact most of the coaches around here and hopefully get something. I want to get things rolling.”