Andrew Morton...Recruiters- check him out

Someone keep us posted. I am interested to see where he ends up. Very interesting situation. Good luck to the guy.

 

Update: The clock is ticking with school opening in 2 weeks or so. Andrew has finally attracted some serious interest. The issues of $$ is the obstacle because most schools have already used up their 05-06 scholarship funds. Andrew is negotiating with a couple.

Since Andrew has to support himself off the field, there are a few friends of Post 8 who are seeking to assist. Stay tuned.

 

Which schools?

Has he thought of attending a JUCO?

 

I don't want to tell more than I am supposed to...but I will be able to share full details in a couple of days. Andrew does have a choice or two though, which is good. All of this depends on the personal supporters coming through with the help he needs.

I really appreciate the interest. I'm just the Dad of one of Mort's teammates...but I am doing all I can to help him get the opportunity to get a free education. If anyone from our team deserves that, it is this kid.

 

From what I'm being told - Andrew will be on the roster of a four year school this fall. Hopefully it will be a done deal by the end of the week. I hope it happens for him - he deserves it.

 

Can you tell us if it's D1, 2, or 3?

 

Mort had 3 D1 schools communicate with him last week. None of them were in a position to help him to the extent that he needed. He is talking with 2 D2 schools that are in-state. The only reason I am being tight-lipped is because this is not my info to share. Hope you understand.

 

I wish him the best. Thanks for the updates!

 

Great, great news. Keep us informed

 

Morton to Belmont Abbey

Thanks to all the folks at TBR for the support. Here is the article from the Lexington Dispatch.


Morton will play for Belmont Abbey

By BRUCE WEHRLE
The Dispatch


There was more than just the glory of going to the state championship for Andrew Morton.

There was a college scholarship waiting for him, too.

Morton, the stellar left-handed pitcher for the Lexington-Davidson American Legion baseball team, elected to go to Belmont Abbey College, located just outside of Charlotte. He will receive a combined academic, athletic and financial aid scholarship to play baseball for the Crusaders, a Division II program that competes in the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference.

Morton, who graduated sixth in his class in 2004 at Lexington Senior High School, spent last year at Wilkes Community College, so he'll be attending Belmont Abbey as a sophomore.

There's little doubt that Morton's spectacular season with Post 8 caught the attention of a number of scouts in the area. Morton ended up with a 12-1 record and an earned run average of 2.85 for Post 8. He struck out 104 batters in 1111/3 innings and walked only 26. He hurled nine complete games, and during the playoffs, he often pitched on just two days rest.

After losing to Pitt County in the American Legion state championship last week in Cherryville, the pieces actually started falling into place for Morton.

"Belmont Abbey had talked with me a little bit after the state tournament," Morton said. "We got a little more serious about it, and I made a visit to the campus, and I really liked it.

"I got to talk with their coach (Kermit Smith), and things really went into motion after that.

"It came down to Pfeiffer University and Belmont Abbey, and I decided that education-wise, Belmont Abbey had a little more to offer."

Morton said he probably won't declare a major for his sophomore year but rather will focus on required subjects and baseball.

"I really liked what I saw of their team," said Morton, noting the program went 28-30 this past year. "You can tell they're an up-and-coming program. They're on the rise."

Morton originally thought he might return to Wilkes Community College in a few weeks, but his breakthrough season changed all of that.

"I think the year I had helped get attention," Morton said. "If I had a so-so year, I'd probably be going back to Wilkes.

"But it wasn't only me. My teammates helped make me a better pitcher. I did my own thing on the mound, but they backed me up. That was the biggest thing."

Post 8 coach Matt Griffin noted that Morton started drawing interest during the playoffs, especially in Cherryville, where radar guns dotted the stands.

"After they saw what he could do, the offers started coming in," Griffin said. "And it just wasn't because of his pitching but because of his heart, too. They could see he was a bulldog on the mound."

Morton said he didn't know if he would have a chance to make the starting rotation right away.

"No matter how it turns out, it's something that I want to earn," he said.

He'll have two connections with Lexington-Davidson. Post 8 assistant coach Chris Stone is also an assistant coach at Belmont Abbey, and Tyler McKenzie, the left fielder for Post 8, is going to the Crusaders on an academic scholarship.