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Blake McMullen ready for next level

Photo by Jay W. Bennett Parkersburg South shortstop Blake McMullen, pictured during a game last spring at Hank Greenburg Field, is glad to be back playing baseball for Wood County Legion and is looking forward to competing at West Virginia Wesleyan.

PARKERSBURG — Blake McMullen was eyeing a spot on the Class AAA first team all-state baseball squad this spring.

The Parkersburg South shortstop, who is headed to West Virginia Wesleyan, fell victim like everyone else to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following his junior campaign, it was off to play for the Appalachian Aces.

“It was a really good team,” said the planned sports business major. “The first half of the fall we played at WVU, Ohio State, Indiana on their fields.

“The last half of the fall we played against Wesleyan’s college team, Charleston’s team, Alderson Broaddus’ and stuff like that.”

Greg Stagani, the Bobcats’ pitching coach and recruiting coordinator, contacted McMullen following a camp at WVU last summer.

“He set up the visit and everything,” said McMullen while adding “my main thing has always been shortstop, but middle infield really is what I’m going to try and do in college.

“They’ve been talking to us. We do a Zoom call every week with the freshmen who are going to be coming in. Right now I’m pretty sure on the Perfect Game we are like 22nd in the recruiting class for 2020.”

A three-year letterman on the diamond, he also lettered his junior year in football.

“I was going to play my senior year, but I got asked to play for the Aces so I wouldn’t be able to make all the practices,” he said.

When asked to describe his game McMullen opined “on the field, I have a bunch of range in the field. I can get to the ball quick and I’m definitely not afraid to lay out and dive for a ball.

“I’ve bobbled balls before, but I can’t remember the last time a ball went through my legs. I’ve taken a few hard ones off the chest and mouth.”

As far as hitting goes?

“I usually like to take an early approach,” he continued. “I don’t like getting down in the count. I usually try to find what pitch I want sooner in that at-bat.”

Currently practicing with Wood County Legion and manager Mike Goodwin, the now Bobcat said he’s expecting a workout plan from Wesleyan the first of next month.

“I just like everything there,” he said of the campus in Buckhannon. “I love the school. I like more of a smaller school. I didn’t really want to go to a huge school.

“From the baseball point, I like what they have going on and I like everything they have to offer. A few of the guys I’ve talked to and texted them a little bit.”

McMullen fully expects to give it his all with hopes of earning playing time as a true freshman.

“If not I’ll just keep practicing hard and hopefully be on my second year,” he said. “I want to try and go up there and make some good accomplishments and put a name in for myself.

“I always wanted to play at WVU for college. I just always wanted to play for them. I talked with them back and forth a little bit and their roster got filled up.”

The best thing about spring coming to a close is being able to play ball this summer.

Practice started Monday at City Park and McMullen said everyone had a good time.

That’s a stark contrast from what he’d been experiencing the last few months.

“Now, I mean, I kind of have to accept it and move on and I have more things to worry about with legion,” McMullen added. “It had me down when it first happened. I really, really wanted to play this year.

“I wanted to reach regionals again with Hurricane and see what we could do. I had high hopes for our team this year. It was really looking good and it all went downhill.”

After finishing PSHS with a 3.75 GPA, he’s ready for the challenges of being a Division II student-athlete.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” he said. “A little nervous at the same time. I’m just going to keep working hard and keep studying. It (his time at South) was great.

“I probably just from myself seeing everything, I probably wouldn’t want to go to a different high school to play. All the coaches were great and they helped us out a lot. We definitely had a family there for sure.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

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