Punahou infielder Branton commits to Stanford baseball

Punahou senior Beau Branton, has verbally committed to Stanford. Evan Asato | SL

Punahou senior Beau Branton has made a verbal commitment to play baseball for Stanford University starting in 2014-15.

Branton attended Stanford's baseball camp this past summer and told the Cardinal coaching staff afterward "they were my No. 1 choice," when they expressed interest.

"But I still had to go through the application process and get into the school, and I found out on Wednesday that I was officially accepted," Branton said.

Branton said he received interest from other West Coast schools, but after the Stanford camp he narrowed his choices to the Cardinal and Ivy League schools like Harvard, Cornell, Columbia and Penn.

"For me and my family, academics is most important," said Branton, who completed two Advanced Placement courses as a junior and is enrolled in three more this year. "(At Stanford), it's the best of both worlds."

Branton said he thinks he caught the Stanford coaches' attention at the camp when, in his first at-bat, he hit a ball that went off the outfield wall. On defense, "I made all the plays and I tested well" in running drills.

"They said I could compete at all three infield spots (second base, third base and shortstop)," Branton said.

Baseball players may not sign and submit an official National Letter of Intent until Nov. 13.