So much for the nerves.
Wells Davis and Hunter Sykes took care of those butterflies months ago when they made their verbal commitments to play baseball at South Alabama and Mississippi College, respectively. That’s why Tuesday was a day to leave the anxiousness behind and to celebrate with the New Hope High School and Heritage Academy baseball standouts as they held signing ceremonies with friends and families to mark the next step in their athletic careers.
Davis said he didn’t spend a lot of time between July and Tuesday mulling his decision to go to South Alabama. He expressed similar sentiment four months ago when he made his non-binding verbal commitment. He said it was easy to hold true to his word even though he received a bevy of scholarship offers to play baseball at the next level. Davis said the level of interest South Alabama showed in him after seeing him play with East Coast Baseball, a local select travel program, helped convince him he had made the right choice.
On Tuesday, he affirmed that confidence by donning a camouflage South Alabama hat after sitting through pictures with friends, family members, coaches, and teammates.
“There was no thought in changing my mind,” Davis said. “The only thought I had was about everything down there and going down there and keeping up with everything.”
Davis said he took an official visit to South Alabama last month and had a chance to watch the school’s football team defeat Georgia State 30-27 on Homecoming. He said it felt good to meet all of the coaches and the players and get a sense of what life was going to be like as a college student.
But Davis has work left to do at New Hope. Last season, he hit .379, scored 31 runs, had 39 hits, 33 RBIs, 12 doubles (team-high), and one home run in the baseball team’s run to a second-consecutive Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A state title. He also led the team in on-base percentage (.484) and slugging percentage (.524) and committed only one error in 185 chances.
In July, Davis said his time with East Coast Baseball, which features players from the states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, and Tennessee, helped him elevate his game and showcase his skills to a plethora of college coaches. Joe Caruso and Greg Sykes, two of the men who help run East Coast Baseball, were on hand to be a part of Davis’ signing celebration.
“Today was just fun,” Davis said. “It is what I have always dreamed about doing.”
Like Davis, Sykes has wanted to play baseball ever since his early days in the local youth leagues. In fact, Sykes and Davis played together when they were younger, so it was fitting they had their signing ceremonies on the same day.
Sykes admitted to having butterflies prior to signing, but he said he felt a sense of “relief” after making it official.
“It is an achievement I have waited all of my life to attain,” Sykes said. “It is definitely a weight off my shoulders that I am signed. I can just play and relax and not worry about college scouts coming to watch.”
Like Davis, Sykes said his time with East Coast Baseball also helped prepare him for the next level. He said in August when he announced his verbal commitment that he primarily played second base for East Coast Baseball. At Heritage Academy, Sykes has pitched and played several positions in the infield.
“It is a great feeling to have this accomplished and take this off my bucket list,” said Sykes, who plans to continue to use baseball “to show others to Christ,” which is what he was able to do as a member of East Coast Baseball, a Christ-centered organization. He said baseball allows him to relax and to show others the skills he has been blessed with.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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