Good Sports: El Capitan High School baseball players commit to college together

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Cooper Gaoiran and Zach Hunter have always been a package deal.

That's been the case for as long as they remember -- all the way back to t-ball.

"Since then, we've just been playing in middle school on travel teams, summer ball teams, and eventually now we're in high school," Cooper said.

Both seniors at El Capitan, Zach and Cooper are the closest they've ever been.

"It's to the point where I believe they're finishing each other's sentences at this point," says coach Aaron.

Every step of their baseball career and most of their lives have been in tandem.

When both Cooper and Zach thought about playing at the next level, the realization came that it'd probably be the first time they'd play for different teams.

That's until Cooper went to visit Colorado Mesa University for a camp.

"As soon as I got there, I loved it," he said. "I loved all the coaches. I felt at home. The coach said we need pitchers too, and I was like, 'Hey, I got a friend. He's 6'6". He's pretty good."

Cooper got Zach in touch with the coaches in Grand Junction.

"I'm pretty sure we committed to the offer on the same night," Zach said. "I think it was like back-to-back phone calls."

Yet again, the boys will wear the same logo, signing their letter of intent to play at Colorado Mesa together.

"They went to bat for each other, and the coach was really impressed with that," coach Aaron said.

"As a pitcher, I like to come out of the game after the inning and see my boy get a double, score a couple runs," Zach said.

The two have had each other's backs from the very first home run.

In the next chapter, this duo will do something they've never done before: they'll be roommates.

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