NOT SO EASY RIDER

At any time over the last two years, Jeremy Gonzales could have relented, transferred to Paraclete High and waved goodbye to a ridiculously long commute while embracing the luxuries that come with attending school a few miles from home.

No more waking up at 6 a.m. No more hour-long drive to and from school. No more hitting the books as soon as he got home, sometimes as late as 8 p.m.

But when his family moved from La Crescenta to Palmdale in 1998, Gonzales remained at not-so-nearby Village Christian, about 55 miles from his new home.

He did so for two reasons: The prospect of signing a college letter of intent and the attraction of finally getting run support. Not necessarily in that order, either.

His decision turned out to be wise. Gonzales is 7-0 with a 1.67 earned-run average for the rejuvenated Crusaders (10-4, 3-0 in Alpha League play).

Gonzales, a senior, was a victim of hard luck in recent seasons at Village Christian, surrendering few earned runs, but often receiving fewer from his teammates.

Last year, he had a 2.45 ERA to go along with a 2-7 record.

Two years ago, he posted a 2.33 ERA, but an inconsistent Village Christian offense and porous defense resulted in another 2-7 record.

The 3-1 and 2-0 setbacks ate at Gonzales. So did the 8-2 losses, where teammates treated the ball like a live grenade.

“It was pretty depressing,” Gonzales said. “I got frustrated. I’d go home and be bummed and not want to talk to anybody.”

Last summer, he thought of transferring to Paraclete, which was achingly close to his new home.

He played on Paraclete’s American Legion team, got to know some of the players and realized a tough decision awaited him.

In the end, he chose to stay at Village Christian.

“I didn’t think it was fair to the other guys on the team if I bailed out on them,” Gonzales said.

They have returned the favor. Gonzales is getting run support. And the fielding boo-boos have decreased.

The long journey suddenly seems shorter.

“I’m getting a lot of support,” Gonzales said. “We’re not making as many errors as we have in the past because a lot of us have been playing for Village since we were freshmen.”

Gonzales, Al Quintana, Eric Livengood and Jason Stauffer are four-year members of the Village Christian varsity.

They’ve had their good and bad days playing for a school seeking its first league baseball title.

With Gonzales leading the way, the goal might be achieved.

The Crusaders can thank a part of Gonzales’ past.

Almost literally, Gonzales grew up with a bat in his hands. When he was two, he created his own concept of holiday spirit, swinging a plastic Wiffle-ball bat without warning at glass ornaments on the family Christmas tree that, unfortunately for them, looked too much like baseballs.

“We couldn’t turn around because he’d be pounding the Christmas tree,” said his father, Gil. “We’d put the bat away and he’d find it and come back swinging.”

A few years later, Gonzales, by now five or six, went to Stengel Field with his brother, Dominic, and his father.

Dominic, then a senior at Crescenta Valley, was a few months away from playing at Cal and wanted to get in a few grounders at shortstop. Jeremy was appointed to play first base. His brother’s throws came screaming toward him.

“I had to catch the ball or basically die,” Jeremy said.

He’s still alive.

Last week, Jeremy signed a letter of intent with St. Mary’s, justifying his decision to remain at Village Christian.

“The main reason I made the commute is because I knew I had a chance to go somewhere,” Gonzales said.

“I didn’t want to switch [schools] halfway through.”

Coach Brian Gibson, for one, is glad Gonzales didn’t transfer.

“He’s a huge factor,” said Gibson, who said Gonzales’ fastball was clocked at 88 miles per hour last summer.

“He’s much more of a competitor than in the past. But he’s much more in control. He used to take the errors kind of bad. Now he’s more mature.”

He’s driven himself to maturity and success. In more ways than one.