The beginning wasn’t pretty for the Vaqueros baseball squad whose high expectations and poor results sent everyone on the team into panic mode.

However, Major League Baseball prospect pitchers Chris Joyce and Kylin Turnbull have risen to lead their teammates through the adversity.

Mistakes on defense and a lack of run production from the offense resulted in a 1-5 start for City College. The Vaqs play remained average over the next month until Joyce and Turnbull helped ignite the team’s second-half resurgence. The Vaqueros currently sit in first place atop the Western State Conference North at 19-13 overall, while posting a 13-5 conference record.

“When a team can send out two of the best pitchers in the conference each week, it makes opponents think ‘how are we going to beat those guys,” Joyce said.

Joyce, 21, was born in San Diego. The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him out of high school in the 10th round of the 2008 MLB draft, but he chose to attend school before pursuing a professional career. He attended UCSB for one year and then transferred to Central Arizona after graduating from Dos Pueblos High School. Joyce returned to Santa Barbara to play for the Vaqueros at the end of the 2010 season.

“I had some academic issues at UCSB so I had to move to the junior college level which I think is an advantage in some aspects,” said Joyce. “[Central] Arizona was my best option last year and SBCC is for this year.”

Turnbull, a sophomore playing in his second season for City College, grew up in Hillsboro, Ore. He too was drafted into the majors by the Chicago White Sox in the 30th round of the 2009 professional draft, but chose to return to City College due to lack of quality experience.

“They both pitch off their fastball,” head coach Ryan Thompson said. “This allows both of them to throw their hard slider out of the zone for strikeouts because hitters have to honor a fastball routinely coming in at 90 miles per hour.”

The two left-handers are in the top three of almost every pitching category for the Vaqueros. Joyce leads the team in strikeouts, wins and has the lowest earned run average while Turnbull is first in innings pitched, complete games and complete game shutouts.

“There is definitely some friendly competition between the two of us,” said Joyce. “Me being the older guy, I feel like I should do better.”

“I really look up to Chris as a baseball player, as well as [how he acts] off the field,” Turnbull said.

From a physical standpoint, the two couldn’t be more different. Turnbull stands at 6’4″, 195 pounds with a long, lanky build. Joyce comes in at a stockier 5’11”, 210 pounds. Joyce brings more verbal leadership while the soft-spoken Turnbull lets his play do the talking. 

City College looks to finish at the top of the WSC-North as the playoffs approach.

Joyce lifted the team over second place Cuesta last Thursday when he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and finished allowing just one hit in a complete game shutout. The Vaqs defeated Cuesta again on Saturday to further distance themselves from the pack.

“If we work together as a team and do all the little things right, we will win the championship,” said Joyce.