Three members of Bentonville’s baseball team chose not to wait and sign their national letters of intent before the Tigers begin their season.
Infielder Justin Hines will head to Missouri as he signed with Metropolitan Community College-Longview, while outfielder Bryce Davis and pitcher Jacob Williams will remain teammates after signing with NAIA school Oklahoma Wesleyan in Bartlesville.
Williams, mainly used as a reliever, is expected to have a bigger pitching role this spring. He threw 25 innings and allowed five runs and 17 hits for a 1.40 earned run average while striking out 40 and walking 11.
“I really like the coaches over there and what the coaches stood for,” Williams said. “The program really fit my needs as a player. I’m able to stay close to home and still get some distance away, but not too much.”
Hines, primarily a second baseman, hit .318 last season for the Tigers. He had a pair of doubles and drove in nine runs while scoring 16 times. However, he tried out as a shortstop and plans playing there for the Lakers.
“It was a good connection for me,” Hines said. “I”m really looking forward to working on my academics in a two-year program as well as athletics, then transfer to another school and get my degree in sports medicine.”
Davis hit .286 for Bentonville and had a pair of doubles. He also drove in two runs while he scored 22 times. He hopes to play in center field but will be content with any outfield position.
“The campus is small and close,” Davis said. “It’s a lot different than Bentonville in the student size, and it kind of made you feel more at home. I like the feel of the school overall.”
Henry Apple can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAHenry.