By By BRIAN HAINES
Sports Writer
PLYMOUTH — When you’re a left-hander who bats .590 people are going to notice. That was the case for Plymouth’s shortstop/pitcher Eli Spruill who went 9-2 on the hill for the Vikings while hitting nearly .600 with two home runs.
Spruill’s phenomenal 2009 season caught the eyes of the Washington Daily News, which named him the player of the year, but it also gained the attention of South Eastern Community College, whom Spruill signed a National Letter of Intent to play for in 2011 on Tuesday at Plymouth High School.
Spruill said when it came down to picking a college, SECC was the total package.
“They have what I want,” Spruill said. “I went down there and looked at the baseball team and it was just like the team I have here; they all love each other.”
South Eastern assistant coach Daniel Raybon, whose team is based in Whiteville and won the Region X championship last season, said that he thinks Spruill can be a factor as a freshman.
“We have heard a lot of good things about Eli from several coaches,” Raybon said. “For his position, and the way he swings that bat, we think he will be good for our park. We think he can come in and help us right away and be an impact player for us.”
Spruill, who throws right and bats left, was named to the all-state team last season as a junior and will be looked at to play shortstop for SECC. Spruill thanked God for blessing him with his abilities and said he would like to major in forest conservation.
Raybon said his home park has a short porch in right field and felt Spruill’s lefty swing can be a big hit.
“It’s 320 (feet) down the line, and only 360 in center,” Raybon said. “We have a little bit of a jet stream going down right field, so we are trying to recruit some big left-handed sticks. A guy who only hits two or three home runs in high school might come here and be a seven or eight home run kind of guy.”
Plymouth coach Terry Perry, who has coached Spruill throughout his tenure with the varsity team, said that what makes the slugger so special is his work ethic.
“He just comes in and works hard, which means a lot to your program,” Perry said. “He’s a good athlete and deserves everything he is getting. He is a great athlete that can play any position and pitch a little bit and he swings a real good stick. If he continues to work this hard in college he can have a lot of success there.”
Perry said that what makes Spruill such a dangerous hitter is that he is so versatile.
“He is both (a power hitter and a contact hitter), it just depends on the situation,” Perry said. “His first two years here he was a gap hitter. Last year we started talking to him more about loading up and trying to drive the ball. We talked to him about looking for that pitch and trying to drive it a long way.”
Spruill, whose 6-1 frame and athleticism allows him to play anywhere he puts his mind to, has the ability to do a lot of things on the diamond.
Raybon said he will look at him as a shortstop first, and projects Spruill to be a top of the order type hitter.
“He is unique and a good player,” Raybon said. “With Eli he could come in and, of the top of my head could be a 2 or 3 guy, but that’s really up to him.”