Umatilla High senior pitcher Keegan St. Amant grew up studying the game of baseball from the bleachers. First, he watched his older brother, Ty, excel at Leesburg High and later in college. 

Without a father at home, Keegan says his grandfather, John St. Amant, and his uncle, Bubba, became the men he looked up to, the ones who helped shape his path to a college baseball future.

That future will run through Clark Atlanta University, an NCAA Division II HBCU school where Keegan announced his commitment. As a 3.7 GPA student, National Honor Society member and three-sport athlete, he says Clark Atlanta checked every box he wanted.

“The coaching staff was a huge part of it,” Keegan says. “The head coach has a history of winning, and they made me feel at home on my visit. I’ve always wanted to go to an HBCU, so it felt right.”

At Umatilla High, Keegan has been integral to the Bulldogs’ recent rise, including the 2024 district championship triumph over powerhouse Montverde Academy, a game in which he delivered a clutch performance on the mound. It remains his favorite memory.

“Everyone thought we were the underdogs,” he says. “Winning that district championship meant everything.”

That win helped propel the program to new heights. 

Umatilla coach Tanner Clark says Keegan has grown into one of the program’s most reliable and mentally tough players.

“When you get locked-in playoff Keegan, he is unhittable,” Clark says. “He pitched the 2024 district championship game to win that huge game against Montverde. He’s fought through adversity in his childhood and come out on top. When he’s focused, he’s as locked in as anybody we have.”

Coach Clark added that seeing Keegan choose an HBCU carries special meaning.

“It makes me proud that I’ve had two players choose HBCU universities and have continued playing baseball beyond high school,” he says. The other player was 2024 graduate Trey Craft who chose to play at Florida A&M University. 

Keegan says Clark’s program has prepared him for the next level.

“Playing for Coach Clark is like you’re already playing for a college program,” he says. “He holds us accountable, makes sure we’re on our grades, and shows us how to be better men.”

Baseball, Keegan says, has taught him resilience, a lesson he leans on daily. He takes pride in representing minority players in a sport where, historically, opportunities were limited.

“It’s an honor to represent minorities in baseball, because at one point we weren’t able to play at a high or professional level,” he says.

It’s an opportunity he doesn’t take lightly. 

With Umatilla coming off a 10–2 fall season, Keegan will be one of the Bulldogs’ top arms heading into the spring. 

“This year, we are looking to go to states,” he says. “We were one game, one win away last year. Now we know what it takes and who we have to beat to get there.”

For younger athletes, his advice is straightforward.

“Trust the process,” he says. “But you can’t sit on the couch all weekend and think you’re getting better while other kids are at the field putting in work.”

As he prepares for his final high school season, Keegan carries one particular Bible verse with him – Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

And he carries Umatilla with him, too.

“I love playing for Umatilla,” he says. “There’s something about that small-town pride. You come to any Umatilla sporting event and our fans are there and proud of us.”

Keegan also wanted to make note that he appreciates all the support of his family, friends, teachers and mentors who have helped guide him to this moment in his life. He’s eternally grateful for all the memories he has made and is excited to make even more this upcoming season.