Jacksonville University

2021 (redshirt-senior):

Starred both ways in his final season in a Dolphin uniform...made 12 starts in 15 appearances on the mound...appeared in 31 games as hitter, starting 29 at DH...49 strikeouts in 60.1 innings...seven multi-hit games, four of them being three-hit affairs, and also collected two multi-RBI games...season-high seven Ks in 5.2 innings of one run ball in a series-clinching win vs. Wofford (3/6)...three hits and an RBI in the Dolphins' first ASUN win of the season at Stetson (5/1)...picked up the win with 6.2 of one run ball to help to a series win at Stetson (5/2)...went 3-4 with an RBI in his final home game, a win over North Florida (5/14)...turned in a Herculean effort in the winner-take-all game three vs. FGCU in the ASUN Baseball Championship Quarterfinal, throwing a career-long seven innings and allowing only one run, while driving in four runs at the plate (5/23)...threw six innings, striking out four, in the ASUN Baseball Championship win over North Florida (5/28)...hit the second home run of his career, and first since 2016, in the ASUN Baseball Championship Final win over Liberty (5/29)...started the season finale in the NCAA Regional vs. Virginia (6/5)...went 4-8 with a pair of RBI in the two games of the NCAA Columbia Regional

2020 (redshirt-junior):

Appeared in relief on opening night against #35 West Virginia, marking his first appearance on the mound in 711 days...started the following Tuesday against #2 Florida, his first start since March 11, 2018, and threw 3.1 with five strikeouts...threw the final four innings of a win at Bethune-Cookman, striking out seven, a season-high, and got the save...started and threw six innings in his final outing of the season vs. VCU, earning the win with six innings of one-run, one-hit ball, including five punchouts  

2019 (junior):

Redshirted while recuperating from Tommy John surgery...will have two years of eligibility remaining

2018 (junior):

Entered the weekend rotation as the Sunday starter...made four starts on the mound, earning wins against #22 West Virginia and Rhode Island...also started three games as a DH and two games as a catcher...logged a career-best eight strikeouts in six innings of a no-decision at Georgia State...injured his arm in the third inning of a pitching start vs. Bradley (3/11/18) and missed the remainder of the season...earned a medical hardship waiver

2017 (sophomore): ASUN All-Tournament Team

Started all 44 appearances...Hit .287 in 171 at bats with 49 hits, including seven doubles and a triple...Drove in 20 RBI with a .339 slugging percentage and .342 OBP...Led the team in putouts (316), runners picked off (three) and runners caught stealing (eight)...Ranked in the top five on the team in batting average (fifth, .289), hits (tied fourth, 49), triples (second, one), games finished (tied third, six), saves (tied second, three), and defensive assists (fourth, 35)...Had the second-longest reached-base streak on the team, totaling 15 games...Had four RBIs in JU''s 10-5 win at then-ranked Florida Gulf Coast on April 1, the first of 13 consecutive wins by the Dolphins...appeared in 15 games on the mound, starting four...recorded saves against Georgia State, Valparaiso and Savannah State...started game one of the ASUN Baseball Championship Final against FGCU and threw 5.1 innings, striking out four...earned All-Tournament Team recognition for his two-way performance that included goign 6-16 at the plate, with an RBI and a walk and catching two runners stealing

2016 (freshman):

Tied the then JU single-season record for saves with 12...Made 20 relief appearances and compiled a 3.68 ERA...Worked 22 innings and tallied 14 strikeouts while also making 16 starts at catcher...Hit .296 and totaled nine RBI with one double, one triple, and one home run

Prior to Jacksonville:

Four-year letterwinner for Tony Sowers at Bartram Trail High School...6A State Runner-Up with a 24-7-1 record...Hit .373, led city in hits (38) & at bats (102)...pitching: 9-2, 0.74 ERA, 102 Strikeouts, and led city in innings pitched (85)...accolades: St John''s River All-Conference, FACA All-Conference, first Team All-County, first team All-First Coast, First Coast (Jacksonville) Player of the Year, Voted third for 6A Player of the Year, Lousiville Slugger high school All-America...Owns eight school records: at bats in a career, at bats in a season, hitting streak, career hits, era in a season, innings pitched in a season, innings pitched in a career, strikeouts in a season...Graduated with a 3.8 GPA and a Bright Futures scholarship.

Personal :

Full name is Michael Joel Cassala...Born on 8/11/1996...Son of Mike and Cheryl Cassala...Has a twin brother, John, who played baseball at College of Central Florida before joining JU for the 2017 season...Father played at Valdosta State...marketing major