Cypress Pitcher Stands Tall Even Off the Mound

With a 91-mph fastball, a 16-1 pitching record the last two seasons, a 17-strikeout performance this season, a 3.6 grade-point average and a scholarship waiting for him at Cal State Fullerton, Michael Morrison of Cypress is a teenager doing everything right.

Last fall, he received a Champion for Character award from the Southern Section, which rewarded a select few high school athletes who have displayed the qualities of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

The trophy sits atop Morrison’s television in his bedroom at home.

“All the time, I look at it,” he said. “I have to follow the pillars of success. When my coach nominated me, I said, ‘Wow.’ It showed what I’m doing on the field is right and somebody is noticing.”

If there are any high school athletes searching for a role model or seeking inspiration on how to proceed in life, Morrison is someone to watch.

“He’s the epitome of what we like our high school athletes to be,” Coach John Weber says. “He does everything asked of him, athletically and academically.”

From T-ball to his senior year of high school, Morrison has been taught to be a leader; not to hold grudges; to play hard; to be a team player; to let actions and not words do his talking.

“That’s the way I live my life,” he said.

At 6 feet 1 and 190 pounds, Morrison was 11-1 last season when Cypress won the Southern Section Division III championship at Angel Stadium. He remembered the most poignant of moments afterward, inside the stadium, where teammates were being congratulated by their family members.

“Everybody was giving their family hugs,” he said, “but when I gave my family hugs, it was more special than anything else.”

His father, Mike, had been his coach since he was old enough to walk. His mother, Lisa, had been to almost every game since T-ball and shagged balls in the outfield during batting practices. His grandmother was there, and so were his two older sisters, who brought along their boyfriends. All the unconditional family support meant so much to Morrison, who wanted to share his moment of triumph with them.

“They said they were proud of me,” he recalled. “I think the most important thing is I always have their support no matter what I do, no matter what decision I make, and they’ve taught me to make the right ones.”

No one is perfect, and Morrison doesn’t claim to be.

Ask him how well he does laundry and you’ll get an honest response.

“I’m not real good,” he said.

But the big things in life that matter, such as dealing with peer pressure and choosing between right and wrong, Morrison understands the choices and the consequences.

“What you have to do as a person is set an example for other kids and not go down to that other guy’s level,” he said. “I’ve been in some games I’ve been thrown at because I hit a home run or a guy didn’t like me. I didn’t lose my temper. I was, ‘Why would you do that?’ You get a little mad. You get this fiery attitude, ‘You know what? I’m going to hit off you and teach you a lesson for throwing at me.’ Don’t prove it in words. Prove it on the field.”

Whether participating in student government, playing in a game or sitting in a classroom, Morrison is respectful.

“Sometimes kids in the classes don’t like teachers,” he said. “For some reason, I’m always the one who has a good relationship. I’m always friends with them.”

If Morrison doesn’t make it to the major leagues, he could see himself becoming a math teacher and a coach.

His maturity and understanding of what role he’s supposed to play as an 18-year-old high school senior gives hope for the future.

“At times, there are good and bad umpires,” he said. “You have to accept the good and the bad. It’s not my part to yell at the blue. That’s the coach’s job. The kids play their game. If an umpire has a bad call, you have to take a deep breath and let it go. It’s going to be hard to forget, but you really do.”

It’s going to be hard to forget the contributions of Morrison after he graduates in June. He used to play quarterback on a losing football team, just trying to help out his teammates, even though baseball was the sport he’s always loved.

He could be taken in the June draft and forced to make a decision between college and professional ball.

Either way, his parents and coaches have prepared him for the world that awaits.

“Sometimes you don’t have that long of a time to make a decision, but I’ve learned from the past to make the right decision,” he said. “If you keep doing it over and over, it will come natural and it gets easier and easier.”

Now, if only he could do laundry.

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.